March 8, 2024 – כ״ח אַדָר א׳ תשפ”ד A friend asked me a provocative and sincere question last week, as we walked toward Hostage Square in Tel Aviv. “I don’t mean to sound indifferent or callous, but why should I care about the Palestinians right now?” It was just two days after the humanitarian aid […]
Friday March 1, 2024 – כ״א אַדָר א׳ תשפ”ד It is surprisingly refreshing to be here in Israel. The flowers are in full bloom after weeks of rain, and many people are figuring out the “new normal.” The buzzword in Israel is “חוסן” or “resilience.” Posters of the kidnapped hostages, held in captivity for […]
February 16, 2024 – ז׳ אַדָר א׳ תשפ”ד דַּבֵּר אֶל־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיִקְחוּ־לִי תְּרוּמָה מֵאֵת כׇּל־אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר יִדְּבֶנּוּ לִבּוֹ תִּקְחוּ אֶת־תְּרוּמָתִי׃ (שמות כה:ב) Tell the Israelite people to bring Me gifts; you shall accept gifts for Me from every person whose heart is so moved. (Exodus 25:2) The Mishkan (Tabernacle) was a national endeavor. It […]
Friday February 9, 2024 – ל׳ שְׁבָט תשפ”ד – רֹאשׁ חוֹדֶשׁ אַדָר א׳ וַיִּקַּח֙ סֵ֣פֶר הַבְּרִ֔ית וַיִּקְרָ֖א בְּאׇזְנֵ֣י הָעָ֑ם וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ כֹּ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה נַעֲשֶׂ֥ה וְנִשְׁמָֽע׃ (שמות כד:ז) “Then [God] took the book of the covenant and read it in the ears of the people. And they said, all that יהוה has spoken WE will do, […]
Friday February 2, 2024 – כ״ג שְׁבָט תשפ”ד With messianic fervor, the dancing and celebratory rejoicing at Jerusalem’s International Convention Center (Binyanei Hauma) where 5,000 Israelis (according to the organizers) gathered for the “Conference for the Victory of Israel – Settlement Brings Security: Returning to the Gaza Strip and Northern Samaria,” was like a bad […]
Friday January 26, 2023 – ט״ז שְׁבָט תשפ”ד How We Will Be Judged, and How We Will Judge Ourselves וַיִּקַּ֥ח מֹשֶׁ֛ה אֶת־עַצְמ֥וֹת יוֹסֵ֖ף עִמּ֑וֹ כִּי֩ הַשְׁבֵּ֨עַ הִשְׁבִּ֜יעַ אֶת־בְּנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר פָּקֹ֨ד יִפְקֹ֤ד אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶתְכֶ֔ם וְהַעֲלִיתֶ֧ם אֶת־עַצְמֹתַ֛י מִזֶּ֖ה אִתְּכֶֽם׃ (שמות יג:יט) And Moses took with him the bones of Joseph, who had exacted an oath […]
Friday January 19, 2024 – ט׳ שְׁבָט תשפ”ד וַיְחַזֵּק יְהֹוָה אֶת־לֵב פַּרְעֹה וְלֹא אָבָה לְשַׁלְּחָם׃ (שמות י:כז) “But יהוה stiffened Pharaoh’s heart and he would not agree to let them go.” (Exodus 10:27) “When God warns someone once, twice, and even a third time and that person does not repent, then and then only does […]
Friday January 12, 2024 – ב׳ שְׁבָט תשפ”ד This Sunday will mark the 100th day of this war of hostages being held in captivity. Freed Hostages are giving horrific, and pain-felt testimony now. (here and here) The longer the current 136 hostages (the estimated number) are still held, we know that the ability to bring […]
Friday January 5, 2023 – כ״ד טֵבֵת תשפ”ד “Joseph died, and all his brothers, and all that generation. But the Israelites were fertile and prolific; they multiplied and increased very greatly, so that the land was filled with them. A new king arose over Egypt who did not know Joseph. And he said to his people, […]
Friday, December 29, 2023 – י״ז טֵבֵת תשפ”ד It’s not easy being a liberal Zionist today. The horrific massacres of October 7th changed everything in Israel and for all those who support Israel. And now, after nearly three months of fighting, Israel and Jews in North America are facing unprecedented challenges. Soldiers are being killed […]
