Jewish Religion

Torah Reading for October 9, 2021

Do you sing zemirot at your Shabbos meals? Sadly, I see fewer and fewer people enjoying this wonderful tradition to enhance the Shabbat experience. One song in particular is linked to this week’s parasha, Noach. No, not Yah Ribbon and Mah Yedidot Menuhatekh, but Yom Shabbaton, “The dove found a place to rest on the Sabbath (Yonah Maz’ah Bo Manoah)” written by Yehudah Halevi, the great Spanish poet of the 12th century. [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]

Torah Reading for October 9, 2021 Read More »

Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts

Good News from Israel (October 3, 2021)

In the 3rd Oct 21 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include: 
–Israeli scientists have 3D-printed blood vessels for implanted organs.
–Israel’s special Shalva Band performed for a UN disability conference.
–Another Israeli animal-free meat alternative.
–Two Israeli ways to navigate without GPS.
–An Israeli startup makes a $1 billion acquisition.
–Israel won their first European baseball medal

Good News from Israel (October 3, 2021) Read More »

Business & Finance, International, Jewish Religion, Michael Ordman, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Science, Medicine, & Education, Sports & Competitions, The World We Share, Travel and Food, Trivia, Humor & Satire

Humorous Stories for the December Holidays

This is a collection of 20 short stories about the upcoming December holidays.  Three of the stories have distinctly Jewish angles, whereas others either are Christmas oriented or so general they might be told at any time of the year.   Some may well be stories left over from Bernstein’s last book, Miserable Love Stories. [Donald H. Harrison]

Humorous Stories for the December Holidays Read More »

Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Trivia, Humor & Satire

Torah Reading for October 2, 2021

As we once more begin our annual reading of the Torah, we recount the grandeur of Hashem’s creation. Some may think they’ve already read it enough times to know it all. But in his 1971 sermon on Parshat Bereishis, Rabbi Norman Lamm z”l asked how might we bring ourselves to Bereishis once again with a new perspective, ready for new learning. How can we look at Bereishis with renewed eyes? {Miahael R. Mantell, Ph.D}

Torah Reading for October 2, 2021 Read More »

Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell

Book on Maimonides Clarifies Many Rules of Judaism

Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel, author of Maimonides’ Hidden Torah Commentary, Leviticus, has made a significant contribution to posterity by writing this beautiful book and bringing the thinking of Maimonides and many dozens of others, ancient and modern, Jewish and non-Jewish, rational and mystic, to his readers. Among many other sources, he focuses on the writings of Maimonides’ Mishneh Torah, his Guide of the Perplexed, his commentary to the Mishnah, his ethical work Shemoneh Perakim, as well as his Responsa, and even the Commentary on Exodus that his son Abraham wrote. This volume follows his successful books about Maimonides on Genesis and Exodus. He reveals much that many people do not know and does so in a clear easy to read and engaging fashion. There is much in these books that we can learn. [Rabbi Dr. israel Drazin]

Book on Maimonides Clarifies Many Rules of Judaism Read More »

Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi

Notes on September 25, 2021 Haftorah

These entirely prose ‘verses,’ from our previously encountered fantasy-crazed Prophet Ezekiel, have no connection to the assigned Shabbat Torah portion in the middle of Sukkot. The Torah passages depict dialogue between Moses and God. In the Torah, first God concedes to ever-curious Moses a look at his back. God then pronounces directions to observe the Sabbath and the three annual festivals. [Irv Jacobs, M.D.]

Notes on September 25, 2021 Haftorah Read More »

Irv Jacobs, MD, Jewish Religion

‘Squirrel Hill’ Portrays Pittsburgh Community Where Tree of Life Massacre Occurred

This journalistic tour-de-force tells the story of October 27, 2018, the day an antisemitic gunman snuffed the lives of 11 congregants at the three small congregations that occupied the Tree of Life Synagogue in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is not simply a depiction of the carnage, but also a portrait of the community in which it happened.  Author Oppenheimer, a former religion columnist for The New York Times, methodically tells us the stories of the victims, including those who barely escaped with their lives, and of the diverse reactions in the community to the shooting.  There were those who organized vigils; those who protested a photo-op visit to the synagogue by then President Donald Trump with his wife, Melania, daughter, Ivanka, and son-in-law Jared Kushner.  Additionally, there were trauma tourists, compelled perhaps like moths to a flame, who wanted to see the site.  There were also presumptuous would-be helpers, who felt they knew better than Squirrel Hill’s residents how the victims should be mourned.   And there were fundraisers, who through various appeals including a Go-Fund-Me effort, raised millions of dollars for the families of the victims and for the congregations themselves. [Donald H. Harrison]

‘Squirrel Hill’ Portrays Pittsburgh Community Where Tree of Life Massacre Occurred Read More »

Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Travel and Food, USA

National Library of Israel Releases Rare Photographs of Sukkot During 1973 War

(JNS) Nearly 50 years after the Yom Kippur War, the National Library of Israel has released a number of rare photos showing how the festival of Sukkot, or “Feast of Tabernacles,” was celebrated during the conflict, even as war raged in the Sinai and the Golan Heights. Also known as the 1973 Arab-Israeli War, the

National Library of Israel Releases Rare Photographs of Sukkot During 1973 War Read More »

Jewish Religion, Middle East

Sukkot’s Convergence with Autumn

As Jews we have a special convergence occurring this week.  Our Sukkot festival coincides with the northern hemisphere’s beginning of the fall season.  As the second day of Sukkot overlaps with the Autumnal equinox, I point to this with the hope that it will inspire us to be more mindful of nature, the rich bounty of our growing season, and the blessing – yet fragility – of our earthly habitat.   [Dan Tomsky]

Sukkot’s Convergence with Autumn Read More »

Jewish Religion

Are There anti-Orthodox Views in Ecclesiastes?

Kohelet (also spelled Qohelet), Ecclesiastes in Greek and now English, is read during the holiday of Sukkot. We do not know why this book was chosen from among the books of the Bible called The Writings. A popular explanation is that Sukkot is a happy holiday and Ecclesiastes is read to add a calming, some sobriety. The following is my review of The Anchor Bible commentary of the book. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]

Are There anti-Orthodox Views in Ecclesiastes? Read More »

Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion

Questions to Ponder During Sukkot

Rabbi Abraham Chill (1912-2004) gives readers of his book The Minhagim, Hebrew for customs and ceremonies, a very readable discussion of many Jewish practices, focusing on 27 holidays and events: synagogue, Shabbat, Rosh Hodesh, Yom Kippur, Passover, Shavuot, Tisha B’Av, Rosh Hashanah, Sukkot, Hanukkah, Tu B’Shevat, Purim, marriage, birth, pidyin haben, bar mitzvah, tallit and tzitzit, tefillin, keriat shema, shemoneh esreh, birkhat kohanim, tahanun, Torah reading, ein k’elohenu, meals, mezuzah, and death and mourning. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin}

Questions to Ponder During Sukkot Read More »

Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion