Moses

Joshua's spies chose faith over fear - can Israel do the same?

Joshua’s spies returned with faith and confidence, teaching a timeless lesson about courage, purpose, and the Land of Israel.

|ByMICHAEL FREUND
The Grapes of Canaan by James Tissot (circa 1900). Although the 12 spies brought back a cluster of grapes so large that it took two men to carry it, only two of the 12 brought back a good report of the land.
THE PARTING of the Red Sea during the Jewish nation’s escape from Egypt, an illustration from a Bible card published 1907 by the Providence Lithograph Company

A different mind, a shared covenant - opinion

I often find myself drawn to the story of Moses, who, when called, responded: "Why me?" Any of Moses’ traits might be understood in the context of autism

|ByDAVID GOLDFARB
Reading a torah scroll

Parashat Beha'alotcha: Know your place

After Pharaoh intensified the Jewish slaves' work, Moses felt that his mission had failed. Out of deep pain, he turned to God and said, “Why have You done evil to these people? Why did You send me?

|ByRABBI SHMUEL RABINOWITZ
Title page of first edition of the Zohar, Mantua, 1558. (Photos: Wikimedia Commons)

'The Wisdom of Truth': Reaching the attic with a ladder to the Zohar - review

Introduction to the Zohar explores exile, desire, and repair, presenting the Baal HaSulam’s ladder as a path to inner spiritual transformation.

|ByBARUCH LANDA

The hidden well: Exploring Miriam's leadership as a source of hope in war's shadow

Within a world of harsh decrees and cruelty, Miriam creates a human partnership that crosses boundaries for the sake of saving life.

APRIL 7, 2026ByRABBA AMIRIT ROSEN
TAMBOURINE PLAYERS from the ‘Golden Haggadah’ (c. 1320), reflecting a medieval vision of Miriam and the women’s song after the crossing of the sea, The British Library, London

You don’t have to be Moses: This generation must rise to lead in a time of war - opinion

Each and every one of us should rise to the occasion and seek justice, seek victory, seek fulfillment for this amazing and miraculous country of which we are a part.

APRIL 1, 2026BySTEWART WEISS
You don't have to be superhuman to change history.

Israel never stops bringing its soldiers home - opinion

A special forces mission in Lebanon shows the ancient promise still guiding Israel: no Jew is ever left behind.

MARCH 8, 2026ByELI BEER
Missing IAF navigator Ron Arad in captivity after his jet went down in Lebanon in 1986

Parashat Ki Tisa: Fear and the choice of courage

From the golden calf to today, fear tests us, but faith and courage show the way forward.

MARCH 6, 2026ByMOSHE TARAGIN
Taking cover in Tel Aviv, March 1.

Walking the Exodus: One woman's journey through the desert Moses crossed

Tracing the biblical Exodus route through the desert, one woman found a story of endurance and the unseen labor that makes survival possible

FEBRUARY 24, 2026ByPAULA SLIER
Margaret Malka Rawicz sits with a Bedouin lady who took her to tend sheep in Sinai Desert.

This month in Jewish history: The first permanent government of Israel

A highly abridged monthly version of Dust & Stars – Today in Jewish History.

FEBRUARY 14, 2026BySTEVEN DRUCKER
DIZENGOFF SQUARE, named for the Tel Aviv founding father.

Parashat Mishpatim: The long search for moral society

God’s will does more than guide individual behavior. It provides direction for building societies grounded in justice and compassion.

FEBRUARY 13, 2026ByMOSHE TARAGIN
The Knesset building

First values, then holy places: Lesson from Sinai and Jerusalem - opinion

A hostage’s testimony and Parashat Yitro show that the Torah places values before territory.

FEBRUARY 6, 2026ByLEO DEE
Former hostage Eitan Mor attends a conference titled “Gaza: The Day After” at the Knesset, the Israeli parliament, in Jerusalem, on January 12, 2026.

Parashat Yitro: Illuminating the fog

Moses understood that genuine service of God is not found in thunder and lightning but rather in the place of fog, confusion, and lack of clarity.

FEBRUARY 6, 2026ByRABBI SHMUEL RABINOWITZ
The God one seeks is found precisely in the confusing, unclear place.

Parashat Beshalach: The joy of ‘mitzvot’

Recounting for the first time the story of an entire people who, after long years of harsh and grueling bondage, emerge into freedom.

JANUARY 30, 2026ByRABBI SHMUEL RABINOWITZ
JOSEPH’S TOMB in Nablus.