By Judy Lash Balint JERUSALEM–The Sephardic Educational Center in Jerusalem’s Old City celebrated the completion of a new Torah scroll Wednesday night, July 28, in a lively celebration of Jews from around the world. A scribe dips his quill pen into special ink and puts the finishing touches to a new Torah scroll before […]
Completion of Torah Scroll in Old City prompts celebration Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle East, USABy Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal SAN DIEGO — The breaking of the glass at the end of a Jewish wedding was originally not greeted by cries of joy but rather with tears. This custom originates from a story in the Talmud. In the middle of sumptuous feast a rabbi stood up and threw an expensive goblet
Commentary: Remembering pain in the midst of joy Read More »
Jewish Religion
By Judy Lash Balint JERUSALEM — I’ve never been in Tel Aviv or Haifa for Tisha B’Av, but my guess is that it probably doesn’t feel too much different than Tisha B’Av in Seattle–a few hardy souls sitting on the floor of their synagogues in the evening and then spending the day itself struggling to
Commentary:Tisha B’Av feels more auspicious in Jerusalem than elsewhere Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle East, USABy Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal SAN DIEGO–Balak, the King of Moab, hated the Israelites. He asked Balaam, a well-known prophet and soothsayer, to curse them on his behalf. When Balaam refused, Balak changed his mind by promising him a generous honorarium. Balaam, however, did have one condition: “I can utter only the word that God puts
Is Israel’s separation a curse or blessing? Read More »
Jewish ReligionBy Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal SAN DIEGO–It is not easy to be the leader of a club or organization. Some people like you, others dislike you, and you need to develop a thick skin. No one knew this better than Moses. No matter how hard he tried, the Israelites criticized and judged him and at times,
The making and testing of leaders Read More »
Jewish ReligionBy Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal SAN DIEGO–In this week’s parasha we find one of the most infamous disputes in Jewish history: that of Korach and his followers. Korach led an uprising agaisngt Moses and Aaron. He wanted to remove them from leadership and make himself the ruler instead. Moses challenged Korach to a “duel.” Korach and
Bible calls upon humanity to try to make peace Read More »
Jewish ReligionBy Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal SAN DIEGO–On Thursday evening I returned from attending the International Rabbinical Assembly Convention. For the first time in its history, this year’s RA Convention was held at the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York City. JTS is the premiere academic institution of the Conservative Movement and many JTS scholars, as well
Female rabbis assume leadership of Rabbinical Assembly Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle East, USA
By Judy Lash Balint JERUSALEM–It’s 5:00 a.m on Shavuot morning and I’m having trouble finding an empty seat at any shul in Jerusalem’s Old City. Every synagogue is already packed as I make the mistake of lingering a few minutes too long at the Kotel amongst the tens of thousands who have made
Jerusalemites crowd the Old City for Shavuot Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle East, Travel and FoodBy Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal SAN DIEGO–Thursday evening my wife Judy and I returned from visiting our son, daughter-in-law, and two grandsons. Shortly after our first grandson, Neriya, was born, his mother called and asked us to reserve Lag B’Omer of this year for his upshirin. My son, Rabbi Adam Rosenthal, and his wife, Sarah, were
3-Year-Old’s Lag b’Omer haircut indicative of a return to tradition Read More »
Jewish Religion, Travel and FoodBy Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal SAN DIEGO — On Mondays and Thursdays, the market days of times gone by, we read the Torah during daily minyan. We normally read the first three aliyot of the parasha of the approaching Shabbat. On Thursday a member of our minyan nudged me during the Torah reading and said, “I
A moral code for those people and companies making headlines and the rest of us Read More »
Jewish ReligionBy Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal SAN DIEGO –The combined parshiot of Tazria and Metzora deal with different types of skin disease that are found on people and fungus that grows in their homes. The Torah tells us that these afflictions are sources of ritual impurity and designates the different rites that must be carried out in
Judaism’s injunctions against ‘slanderous speech’ Read More »
Jewish Religion, Travel and FoodBy Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal SAN DIEGO–Kashrut observance is one of the defining rituals of Judaism. For Jews, the food we put into our mouths is equally as important as the words that come out. Parashat Shemini cites the defining characteristics of Kosher mammals and fish. Mammals must have cleft hooves and chew their cud. Sea
The kashrut of self-control Read More »
Jewish ReligionBy Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal SAN DIEGO — On Passover some Jews obsess about chametz. They spend so much time worrying about Passover Kashrut that they forget what the holiday is all about. One such Jew was Rabbi Yechiel of Kozmir. He was fixated on observing every single law of the holiday and ridding his house
Remembering the true meaning of Passover Read More »
Jewish ReligionBy Judy Lash Balint JERUSALEM–For the past several years I’ve been putting out a light-hearted ’18 Ways You Know Pesach is Coming In Israel’ piece to describe the frenetic days leading up to Pesach in the holy city. This year, there are a few additional notable events that are driving the news cycles over here.
20 ways to know Pesach is coming to Israel Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle East