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