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Tzom Gedaliah “Fast of Gedaliah” The Fast of Gedaliah is observed on the third of Tishrei, in the raw opening days of our new year. Unlike the other minor fasts…

Rosh Hashanah 5787 Another waltz around the sun is almost upon us. Rosh Hashanah – the Jewish new year – is here. The kick off to the high holiday season,…

Parashat Nitzavim-VaYeilech / Leil Selichot“[You All] Stand Upright-Then [Moshe] Walked” Anyone who has been to summer camp, or lived in a college dorm, knows the wee hours are when we are…

Parashat Ki Tavo “When You Arrive” It is precisely when a farmer has reaped his harvest — when he can see, touch, and enjoy what he has produced — that…

Parashat Ki Teitzei “When You Go Out” Ki Teitzei is one of the Torah portions with the greatest number of commandments. This year, I’m paying particular attention to the laws…

Parashat Shoftim “Judges” Parashat Shoftim closes with a murder mystery: a corpse is discovered in a field, and no one knows what happened or who is at fault. In response,…

Rosh Chodesh Elul / Rosh Hashanah LaBehemot “New Year of The Animals” As Rosh Chodesh Elul approaches, we begin to reflect back on our previous year, doing the work of חשבון…

Parashat Re’eh “See” While reading Parashat Re’eh, I was struck by the prohibition against eating blood, which is mentioned five times.[1] Why this much insistence? Parashat Re’eh marks a pivotal shift in Israelite life:…