By Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D. SAN DIEGO — This year, we read Torah portions Nitzavim and Vayeilech, on the Shabbat before Rosh Hashana. It asks us where we stand as we enter the new year. The parasha teaches that G-d tells us, “I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. You […]
Parshiyot Nitzavim-Vayeilech: Choosing Life Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell
“The way of my rabbinate and my personal life is living a life of balance,” Kornberg continued. “What I have been able to do and what I try to do is bring [the religious and secular] worlds together with a sense of balance; you don’t have to live in one or the other. You can have a rich religious Jewish life and still live in the secular ‘real world’ so to speak…” [Donald H. Harrison]
Rabbi David Kornberg of Congregation Beth Am: ‘Balance Is My Mantra’ Read More »
Ben Dishman, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, USA
Parshat Ki Tavo 5783 By Rabbi Daniel Reich LA JOLLA, California — Among the many different Mitzvot and insights in Parshat Ki Tavo, right at the beginning of the Parsha we have the Mitzvah of “Viduy Maaser”, also known as the Maaser Confession. We are instructed to announce before God and to vocalize within the
Cultivating Self-Belief Read More »
Daniel Reich-Rabbi, Jewish ReligionBy Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D. SAN DIEGO — To be a Jew is to be a grateful person. As we enter Shabbat with Psalm 92, we read, “It is good to give thanks.” Rabbi Zelig Pliskin teaches, “Living with gratitude elevates your entire life. You become a more spiritual person. You become a more joyful person.
Parashat Ki Tavo: An Attitude of Gratitude Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell
Published by ANI News Tel Aviv [Israel], August 28 (ANI/TPS): In preparation for the upcoming Yom Kippur holiday – the Jewish Day of Atonement – Israel’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development emphasized to the public the importance of observing the custom of redeeming atonements with money and not chickens. In the days between Rosh
Israelis asked to avoid using live chickens in annual atonement ritual Read More »
Jewish Religion
A seven-hour mediation. A secret recording device. Accusations of extortion. These are the latest twists in the ongoing, ugly saga over control of the Southern California synagogue that survived a 2019 mass shooting only to face a federal fraud conviction of its founding rabbi. [Louis Keene, the Forward]
Fraud, Betrayal and Spy Gear: Inside the Messy Battle for Chabad of Poway Read More »
California, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, USA
(Press Release) Sefaria unveiled a groundbreaking digital collaboration, the “Global Community Torah,” that is a unique opportunity for anyone to have a small part in “writing” a Torah—all 304,805 letters. The ambitious project launched at a virtual 10th anniversary celebration for Sefaria, the non-profit organization that digitizes and freely shares Jewish texts in Hebrew and
Sefaria Launches First-Ever ‘Global Community Torah’ Digital Writing Project Read More »
Jewish Religion, USAParshat Ki Teitzei 5783 By Rabbi Daniel Reich LA JOLLA, California — Our tradition tells us that there are 613 Mitzvot contained in the Torah, spread out among its 54 Parshas. So one might have assumed that these 613 statues are evenly distributed throughout the Torah, coming to approximately 11 or 12 Mitzvot per Parsha.
By Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D. SAN DIEGO — This week’s parasha, literally meaning, “When you go out…” opens with a description of facing war with enemies. Maimonides tells us that 72 mitzvot spring from this week’s Torah portion, from weights and measures and collecting debts in a righteous way, to proper ways to divorce, keeping promises,
Parashat Ki Teitzei: Refining Our Souls Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell
“Sometimes, I will do a creative service,” she continued. “I will have a theme and I will have some of the basic prayers, but I also ask people to bring poems or stories or something unique that speaks to the theme that I provided. Those were really received well because people could feel that they were participating. I am much more interested in participation than I am in performance.” [Donald H. Harrison]
Rabbi-Cantor Cheri Weiss Combines Love of Judaism and Music Read More »
Ben Dishman, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, USA
By Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin BOCA RATON, Florida — The parasha Shoftim (16:18-21:9) begins with Moses requiring the Israelites, “You must make judges and officers in every gate that Y-h-v-h gives you for your tribes. They must judge the people with righteous judgment. They must not show any [special] respect to anyone nor take gifts
Why Do We Need Judges? Read More »
Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish ReligionParshat Shoftim 5783 By Rabbi Daniel Reich In his farewell address to the Jewish people, our greatest teacher, Moshe Rabbeinu, continues to share the critical and fundamental ideas that the Jews will need to remember once he is gone from the biblical narrative. In our Parsha, we learn more of these critical teachings. One of
Basic Training for Hashem’s Army Read More »
Daniel Reich-Rabbi, Jewish ReligionBy Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D. SAN DIEGO — This week’s parasha presents an intriguing perspective for those with an inclination towards environmentalism. It articulates, “When besieging a city for an extended period, preparing for war to conquer it, refrain from felling its trees with axes. These trees are for sustenance, and you must not cut them
Parashat Shoftim: Profound Concern for Our Surroundings Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell
McKinney and Rabbi Marko renewed their friendship over the August 11-13 weekend, when McKinney served as Tifereth Israel Synagogue’s scholar-in-residence. She outlined what Jewish life is like in the Abayudaya villages, covering Jewish holiday and life cycle observances, and told of the efforts the foundation she heads is making to help impoverished families and children with disabilities. (Donald H. Harrison)
Speaker Tells of Life Among the Abayudaya Jews of Uganda Read More »
California, Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, Shoshana McKinney, Travel and Food, USA