- Abraham, Akedah, Angels, Argument, Be'er Sheva, Bereshit, Estrangement, Hagar, Ishmael, Komps Kaos, Lot, Parsha, Sacrifice, Sarah, Sodom, Strange, Strangers, Theophany, Vayera
Strange, Stranger, & Estranged
Our parsha this week begins with the story of three strangers – angels, perhaps a theophany, men, messengers – who are unknown to Abraham and Sarah. After laying out the spread for these…
- 5779, Abraham, Altar, Alter, Be'er Sheva, Bereshit, Horns, Komps Kaos, Lekh Lekha, Parsha, Refuge, Sacrifice, Torah
Altering Altars
Did you notice how many altars have already been built in the Torah? Bereshit: Abel & Cain offer first fruits and animals on the altar Noach: Noah builds an altar after the flood…
- 5779, Babel, Comprehensive Exams, Confusion, Hebrew School, Komps Kaos, Languages, Noach, Parsha, Torah
Drowning
I don’t have much for you this week, either, I’m afraid – so instead I’ll offer you a report of our Hebrew school lesson last week. Since the students talked about Noah Sunday…
- 5779, Amoraim, Annual Cycle, Bereshit, Comprehensive Exams, Creativity, Galilee, Growth, HUC, Jerusalem, Komps Kaos, Parsha, Rabbis, Second Temple Period, Tannaim, Torah, Yavne
Restart
Bereshit…that’s how we know it’s time to restart the Torah cycle, to begin a renewed year of growth, learning, and creating. This year already, I feel like I’ve needed several of them! Last…
- Archaeology, Cincinnati, Fiddler on the Roof, Haifa, High Holidays, Israel, Jaffa, Mediterranean Sea, Museums, New York, She'ar Yashuv, Simchat Torah, Synagogues, Tel Dan, Tel Hadid, Tiberias, Tu B'Av, Tzfat, Yiddish
Double the Motherlands, Double the Summer!
Let’s end the high holidays with a bang, shall we? First, I want to tell you about the end of my time in Israel. My family (dad, sister, and I) returned to Neve…
- Agriculture, Archaeology, Beach, Dead Sea, Family, Galilee, Haifa, Hiking, IDF, Israel, Jerusalem, Museums, Music, Negev, Synagogues, Tel Aviv, Tel Gezer, Tel Hadid, Travel, Tzippori
Milk & Honey & Torah & Harvest
My family’s been in Israel long enough that I don’t remember a time when we weren’t wandering the trails through old crusader buildings, vineyards and olive groves, passing bus stops throughout our small…
- Academia, Archaeology, Bible, Creativity, Dreams, Family, Friends, Haifa, Homeland, HUC, Israel, Jerusalem, Midrash, Mishnah, PhD, Talmud, Tel Aviv, Tel Dan, Tel Gezer, Travel
Back to the Land
A short update from a long year (hence the void of posts – sometime I will get through a full Torah cycle): In a week, I will have completed my Ph.D. coursework. How…
- 5778, Days of Awe, Gemara, Haazinu, High Holidays, Interpretation, Listening, Liturgy, Midrash, Moses, New Year, Praise, Prayer, Rosh Hoshannah, Textual Criticism, Yamim Noraim, Yom Kippur
5778 Ways to Listen This Year
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! Clearly I need to make some resolutions, like getting through the whole year on here…oh well, maybe after I finish coursework (this year!) you’ll see some improvements. But really –…
- Cloud, Construction, Craftsmen, Exodus, Israelites, Moses, Offering, Parsha, Pekudei, Pesach, Physical Presence, Priests, Service, Spring, Tabernacle, Vayakhel, Worship
Establishing a Presence
It’s time to start preparing for Pesach – I’m excited but almost can’t believe it! The weather is also telling us that spring is here with warmer temperatures and more rain. I wish…
- Aaron, Archaeology, Attributes, Census, Craftsmen, Family, Golden Calf, Ki Tisa, Moses, New Orleans, Offering, Parsha, Radiance, Ritual, Sinai, Smells, Synagogues, Tabernacle, Tablets, Worship
Mardi Gras & Radiant Faces
Last week I was in New Orleans celebrating the return of spring with my family. We enjoyed touring Touro Synagogue, hanging out in the French Quarter, attending the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, visiting…