Displaying 1 - 10 of 15
Shmita
Hebrew Spelling
שְׁמִטָּה
A year of “release,” described in the Torah (Ex 23:11; Lev 25:2,5-7; Deut 15:1-2) as occurring every seventh year, during which the land of Israel is not farmed, debts are remitted, and slaves granted freedom.
oleh
Hebrew Spelling
עוֹלֶה
Alternate Spelling
olah (feminine)
olim (plural)
Individual who immigrates (makes aliyah) to Israel.
shaliach
Hebrew Spelling
שָׁלִיחַ
Alternate Spelling
sh’licha (feminine)
shlichim (plural)
Hebrew term meaning, messenger or emissary.
moreh
Hebrew Spelling
מוֹרֶה
Alternate Spelling
morah (feminine); morim (plural)
Hebrew term meaning, teacher.
madrich
Hebrew Spelling
מַדְרִיךְ
Alternate Spelling
madricha (feminine); madrachim (plural)
Hebrew term for guide, youth leader, or teacher’s assistant.
Stories We Tell: The Grandfather, the Granddaughter and the Donkey
An old grandfather and his young granddaughter go for a walk, leading a donkey by its reins. All is well, until they meet a stranger who wonders why they walk in the manner that they do. What happens next, in this story retold by Cantor Ellen Dreskin, teaches the grandfather and granddaughter a valuable lesson about what it means to take advice and please the people around them.
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Stories We Tell: The Prince Who Thought he was a Rooster
When a prince wakes up one morning and decides that he is actually a rooster, his father, the king, does not know what to do. Nothing that the king does can make the prince stop behaving like a rooster, until he seeks out the rabbi who has an interesting solution. This story, retold by Rabbi Marc Katz, explores themes of empathy, and what it means to meet people where they are.
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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?
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Stories We Tell: The Scholar and the Merchant
When a scholar boards a ship with a group of merchants, the merchants are confused. What does a scholar have to sell that could compete with their radiant perfume and beautiful scarves? When pirates storm the ship, they find out in this story retold by Rabbi Rick Jacobs, president of the Union for Reform Judaism. You can find a written version of this story, titled “The Sefer Torah,” in the book Three Times Chai: 54 Rabbis Tell Their Favorite Stories by Laney Katz Becker.
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Stories We Tell: Whatever You Do, Don't Bite Off the Pitom
Every year Moshe begs his father for an etrog, and every year, his father says they can’t afford it, until one special Sukkot when they scrimp and save and finally bring home an etrog. But what happens when Moshe can’t resist the pitom and Boris the Beet Borscht Baron from Belarus with very strong hands comes to bless the etrog? As Rabbi Steven Bob reminds us, “Whatever You Do, Don’t Bite Off the pitom”!
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