Parasha

Simchat Torah 2026: What exactly are we so joyous about?

The joy of Simchat Torah is not merely an individual’s personal joy. It is joy about the Torah that exists within the people of Israel.

|ByRABBI SHMUEL RABINOWITZ
SIMCHAT TORAH at a base on the border with Gaza, last Oct.
OUR CHILDREN deserve a unified nation.

An unimaginable idea: When does God ignore idolatry by Jews?

Rabbi Hayyim urges us to remain a unified nation; a people that does not block highways or burn tires, engage in vandalism against those with whom we may differ, or delegitimize other Jews.

|ByMENAHEM MEIER
WOMEN STAND in prayer at the Kotel.

Israel after Oct. 7: What Moses teaches us about survival and responsibility

As Israel emerges from three years of war, Moshe’s ancient message offers a powerful reminder: surviving tragedy is only the beginning. We must also decide what we stand for.

|ByMOSHE TARAGIN
MUTUAL RESPONSIBILITY: Young Israelis who completed military service help farmers like Giora Isar from Moshav Maaleh Gamla at the height of the mango-picking season, near the Sea of Galilee, Aug. 4.

Parashat Nitzavim: Why we are all responsible for one another

In a world increasingly focused on personal success, Parashat Nitzavim reminds us that no one stands alone. Our fate is bound together, and we are responsible for one another.

|ByRABBI SHMUEL RABINOWITZ

Parashat Teruma: ‘Its interior is filled with love’

An exploration into the meaning and significance of the cherubim (angels) that sat upon the Ark of the Covenant in the Tabernacle.

FEBRUARY 28, 2025ByRABBI SHMUEL RABINOWITZ
THE OBJECT permanently placed in the holiest site on Earth had the pure faces of innocent children.

The Bibas Babies; the Keruvim and the Cry of a Mother

FEBRUARY 27, 2025ByMARK FISH

Parashat Mishpatim: The Jewish consciousness of ‘hessed’

You must assist him even at the expense of helping a righteous person who also needs aid – so that you may overcome the inclination to hate that person within your heart.

FEBRUARY 21, 2025ByRABBI SHMUEL RABINOWITZ
An illustrative image of a coinpurse.

The Angel’s Double-Edged Sword: Protection and Obligation

FEBRUARY 20, 2025ByMARK FISH

Parashat Yitro: Preceding the Torah

Good character traits – especially those expressed in accepting those who are different and understanding their pain and feelings – are a prerequisite for receiving the Torah.

FEBRUARY 14, 2025ByRABBI SHMUEL RABINOWITZ
An illustrative image of a path leading to a cloud formation shaped like a heart with sunlight shining through.

Parashat Yitro: Hearing the silence, seeing the sound

Comprehension begins within us, including our understanding and encounter with God – the universal web that connects us to everything and everybody.

FEBRUARY 14, 2025ByMICHAEL M. COHEN
Lightning is seen over Palmachim Beach.

The Chosen People: But Why Us?

FEBRUARY 11, 2025ByMARK FISH
An orthodox man prays at the Western Wall

From fear to song: Haftarah of Parashat Beshalach mirrors Israel's current state - opinion

As in the Jewish Bible, Israel also now stands at a moment that offers the hope of quiet. With a fragile cessation of hostilities holding for now, we feel just about ready to lift our heads and heart

FEBRUARY 7, 2025ByKENNETH BRANDER
Exodus - the splitting of the Red Sea.

Parashat Beshalach: The path to victory

Unite the nation through love and kindness, and we will defeat the descendants of Amalek.

FEBRUARY 7, 2025ByRABBI SHMUEL RABINOWITZ
An illustrative image of chess pieces.

Parashat Beshalach: How to cross the Reed Sea

We are at a watershed moment, and we need to respond from courage, artfulness, and faith, – not from despair. It’s time to cross the Reed Sea together.

FEBRUARY 7, 2025ByRAPHAEL SHUCHAT
An illustrative image of feet walking through the water.