February 3, 2023 – י״א שְׁבָט תשפ”ג In his book Exodus and Revolution,[1] Prof Michael Walzer teaches that since late medieval or early modern times, there has existed a characteristic way of thinking about political change, a pattern that we commonly impose upon events, a story that we repeat to one another. The story has […]
By Bryan Hanan Oren Who are the leaders who are out among the people? Who is boldly pushing for positive social change? Who acts out of a sense of the public good even at the expense of personal glory or power? Who is spreading light? This week’s Haftarah is the story of the only […]
January 26, 2023 – ה׳ שְׁבָט תשפ”ג וְאִם לוֹא הַשְּׂחֹק הָיָה לְךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל אִם־בְּגַנָּבִים (נמצאה) [נִמְצָא] כִּי־מִדֵּי דְבָרֶיךָ בּוֹ תִּתְנוֹדָד׃(ירמיהו מח:כז) “Wasn’t Israel a laughingstock to you? Was he ever caught among thieves, That you should shake your head Whenever you speak of it?” (Jeremiah 48:27 – Haftarah of Parshat Bo) The British philosopher […]
Friday January 20, 2023 – כ״ז טֵבֵת תשפ”ג וְלָקַחְתִּי אֶתְכֶם לִי לְעָם וְהָיִיתִי לָכֶם לֵאלֹהִים וִידַעְתֶּם כִּי אֲנִי יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם הַמּוֹצִיא אֶתְכֶם מִתַּחַת סִבְלוֹת מִצְרָיִם׃ (שמות ו:ז) “And I will take you to be My people, and I will be your God. And you shall know that I, יהוה, am your God who freed you […]
Friday January 13, 2023 – כ׳ טֵבֵת תשפ”ג By Ariel Fogelman As we begin reading the Book of Exodus, the United States will commemorate the man who dared to ‘have a dream.’ Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. used the story of the Exodus as a torch, lighting the path for America: “The cry of ‘Let […]
Friday January 6, 2023 – י״ג טֵבֵת תשפ”ג According to the Bible, in the year 588 BCE on the 10th day of the 10th month Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylonia laid siege to the city of Jerusalem. This assault, which began as an attack on the independent sovereign entity of Judah and Jerusalem by a neighboring […]
Friday December 30, 2022 – ו׳ טֵבֵת תשפ”ג אֲנִי יוֹסֵף אֲחִיכֶם אֲשֶׁר־מְכַרְתֶּם אֹתִי מִצְרָיְמָה׃” (בראשית מד:ד)” “I am your brother Joseph, he whom you sold into Egypt.” (Genesis 44:4) When the band of brothers (10 out of Jacob’s 12 sons) reached Egypt, they didn’t recognize their brother. Joseph, (aka צָפְנַת פַּעְנֵחַ /Tzafnat Pa’aneach – the […]
Friday December 23, 2022 – כ״ט כִּסְלֵו תשפ”ג Incoming Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared on Wednesday night the famous two-word phrase “עלה בידי”- “It has ascended to my hand” – the traditional code words to signal that he has successfully formed a coalition. The coalition deal will return Netanyahu to office just 18 months after […]
Friday December 16, 2022 – כ״ב כִּסְלֵו תשפ”ג No, this is not a re-gendered Jewish version of a Jonny Cash song. Rather, it’s the title of a poem that came under fire this week in Israel. Was Joseph, the son of Jacob, transgender? Of course, the text doesn’t necessarily say that, but a number of […]
Friday December 9, 2022 – ט״ו כִּסְלֵו תשפ”ג וַיִּוָּתֵר יַעֲקֹב לְבַדּוֹ וַיֵּאָבֵק אִישׁ עִמּוֹ עַד עֲלוֹת הַשָּׁחַר׃ וַיַּרְא כִּי לֹא יָכֹל לוֹ וַיִּגַּע בְּכַף־יְרֵכוֹ וַתֵּקַע כַּף־יֶרֶךְ יַעֲקֹב בְּהֵאָבְקוֹ עִמּוֹ׃ וַיֹּאמֶר שַׁלְּחֵנִי כִּי עָלָה הַשָּׁחַר וַיֹּאמֶר לֹא אֲשַׁלֵּחֲךָ כִּי אִם־בֵּרַכְתָּנִי׃ וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו מַה־שְּׁמֶךָ וַיֹּאמֶר יַעֲקֹב׃ וַיֹּאמֶר לֹא יַעֲקֹב יֵאָמֵר עוֹד שִׁמְךָ כִּי אִם־יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי־שָׂרִיתָ עִם־אֱלֹהִים וְעִם־אֲנָשִׁים […]
