Something that one might be fairly certain will never appear in a shul, no matter where it is or…
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Salutations from Salonica
As one enters the beautiful Yad Lezikaron shul in Salonica, one notices plaques on the wall. But…
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Impressions from Ioannina
One of the beautiful experiences in travelling around the Jewish world is seeing the richness and…
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Commentary from Corfu
“Ma rabu ma’asecha Hashem, how beautiful are Your creations, G-d!” After…
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Arrival in Athens
Philosophy, mathematics, democracy, the Olympics, architecture, libraries, trial by jury, mythology…
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Chukat: Time to Talk
Parshat Chukat marks the transition from the generation that left Egypt to the one that would enter…
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Korach: Holy and More Holy
The Torah was "edited" with great precision. Narrative and law are often intertwined; one…
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Zevachim 48: Go North
“The ox and goat of Yom Kippur are slaughtered in the north” (Zevachim 47a). As we…
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Zevachim 47: I Agree!
Other than belief in G-d, there is almost nothing in Judaism that is not subject to debate. Does G-…
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Shelach Lecha: An Old Name
Of the twelve men sent to bring back a report about the land of Israel, only one of them—…
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Zevachim 46: What's On Your Mind?
One of the classic debates of the Talmud – and one with no clear resolution – is…
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Beha'alotcha: Out of Order
“And G-d spoke to Moshe in the Sinai desert in the second year of the Exodus from Egypt, in…
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Nasso: More is Less
The Torah uses its words sparingly—and sometimes not at all. The Torah tells us very little…
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Zevachim 38: Do it Right
One of the first innovations of the Reform movement was the removal from the siddur of all…
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Shavuot: Eating Out
How should one celebrate the receiving of the Torah? The Talmud (Pesachim 68b) quotes a seemingly…
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Behar: Money in Trust
In his thematic enumeration of the 613 mitzvoth, the Rambam has as the very first mitzvah that of…
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Emor: G-d's Name
“Do not desecrate My holy name. I must be sanctified among the Israelites" (Vayikra 22:…
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Lag B'Omer: Opposites Attract
It is hard to imagine two people who had a greater influence on the development of Judaism during…