What is the story behind Hanukkah gelt?
A lot of history and tradition resides in chocolate Hanukkah gelt.
Do Reform Jews Believe in the Messiah?
In the Jewish prayer book, the siddur, there are references to an “end of days”: the Temple in Jerusalem will be rebuilt, the dead who were righteous will be resurrected, and a figure known as the Messiah, or in Hebrew the Moshiach, will restore Israel to new-found glory.
Stories We Tell: The Grandfather, the Granddaughter and the Donkey
Stories We Tell: The Prince Who Thought he was a Rooster
On the Other Hand: Ten Minutes of Torah - Sh’lach L’cha: Judaism on the Fringes
What does it mean to be on the fringes of Judaism? Does Judaism allow for creativity, allowing those on the fringe who want, to be brought toward the center? Is Judaism open to different forms of expression?
On the Other Hand: Ten Minutes of Torah - Shof’tim
Parashat Shof’tim is all about judges: who should judge, how they should judge, and why a goo
On the Other Hand: Ten Minutes of Torah - Ki Teitzei: How Not to Hate
In Parashat Ki Teitzei, we read the phrase, “you shall not abhor an Egyptian, for you are a stranger in his land.” This statement is read only a few months after Leviticus, when the Israelites were enslaved by the Egyptians,
On the Other Hand: Ten Minutes of Torah - Ki Tavo: Not If, But When
Ki Tavo translates to “when you get there.” the phrasing is “when,” and not “if,” because the Torah reminds us that there was never a doubt that the Israelites would reach The Land of Milk and Honey.
On the Other Hand: Ten Minutes of Torah - Nitzavim-Vayeilech: It's Not in the Heavens
For many, the double portion Nitzavim-Vayeilech is comforting. Judaism is a religion full of commandments, but Nitzavim-Vayeilech assures us that everything we need to be Jewish is in our very hearts.