Many of us find it hard to relate to the Torah portion of Vayikra. It focuses on a practice that is no longer in use today. We learn of various types of sacrifices and how they were to be fulfilled on ...

This week’s Torah portion is Vayera: Genesis 18:1 – 22:24 The first Shabbat after daylight standard time always comes as a shock to the system, despite the fact that it occurs every year. Preparing to ...

Across centuries, the Jewish people have experienced collective trauma, from the ancient exiles to modern-day tragedies. Despite these painful occurrences, Jewish tradition is a real treasure trove of ...

Mother and daughter stood next to one another at the bimah as part of a jubilant bat mitzvah ceremony. Then, one of them took a deep breath and began to recite verses from that week’s Torah portion.

The prerequisite to understanding any story is answering the question: What is its genre? This might seem like an easy task, but it’s really not. Let’s say that someone gets offended by a joke. The ...

“A gentle answer turns away wrath, but hard words stir up anger” (Proverbs 15: 1). “Gentle words bring life and health; a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit” (Proverbs 15:4). RECENTLY, JEWS BEGAN ...

וַיִּסֹּ֥ב שְׁמוּאֵ֖ל לָלֶ֑כֶת וַיַּחֲזֵ֥ק בִּכְנַף־מְעִיל֖וֹ וַיִּקָּרַֽע As Samuel turned to leave, Saul seized the corner ...

The following are some reflections on various essential pieces of “wisdom literature” found in a portion of the Talmud called the “Ethics of the Fathers” (“Pirke Avot”). “Accept a Torah teacher upon ...

After repeatedly denouncing and prohibiting the creation of statues, portrayals of the human form, or anything resembling idols—on pain of death—God issues an unusual command. In the construction of ...

(JTA) — Throughout President Joe Biden’s visit to Jerusalem this week, he has underscored the ways that he believes the United States and Israel are aligned. But in his remarks Thursday afternoon ...

I’ve slid back into old habits over the past two weeks. I struggle with obsessive hand and body washing, as a way of coping with past sexual trauma. My body feels polluted and tainted, and I wash it ...

The bar in Odessa, Ukraine faces big challenges ahead, but founder David Roitman felt moved to open it out of a sense of communal responsibility. ODESSA, Ukraine (JTA) — As an Orthodox Jew, Aryeh Rov ...