SAN DIEGO– In Hebrew, “safa” means “language,” which prompted license plate spotter Melanie Rubin to wonder whether the driver wanted those behind him to “watch their language.”
Jewish-interest license plate: Safa Read More »
Jewish Religion, Melanie RubinBy Rabbi Tzvi Hersh Weinreb NEW YORK — Over the course of the past several years, we have had some marvelous opportunities to visit places where I had once lived. My wife and I had moved away from some of these communities ten or twenty years ago, and in one case, forty years ago. It
Nations, like people, have stages of growth Read More »
Jewish ReligionBy Sheryl Rowling SAN DIEGO — I recently and unexpectedly lost a dear friend. Not only was she a wonderful friend, a devoted wife and mother, she was also a “mover & shaker” in the community – in the best possible interpretation of that phrase. Gail Littman was the type of person who could make
Money Maven: Honoring Memories Read More »
Jewish Religion, Sheryl RowlingBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — In this week’s Torah portion, we read about a strange story that nearly costs Moses his life (Exod. 4:24-27). As he was about to return to Egypt, Moses takes his wife (Tsipporah) and sons and travel toward Egypt. However, along the way, it appears that Moses
May women perform ritual circumcisions? Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiBy Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal SAN DIEGO – Although midrash at times attempts to solve textual problems, at other times midrash seems an illogical flight of fantasy that creates more problems than it solves. Such is the rabbinic comment about Pharaoh’s daughter pulling Moses from the Nile River. The Torah says: “The daughter of Pharaoh came
Helping miracles to occur Read More »
Jewish ReligionBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — One of the most exciting exegetical works I have read in years is Rabbi Ari D. Kahn’s Echoes of Eden on Sefer Shemot: Salvation and Sanctity—Insights into the Weekly Torah Portion on the Book of Exodus. Publisher: Gefen Publishing House, 2012. ISBN-10: 965229585X, 350 pages. Price: $29.95 His
Rabbi Kahn’s insights stimulating, well worth reading Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiBy Rabbi Tzvi Hersh Weinreb NEW YORK — Can you sleep at night? There is so much trouble in the world. Violence, wars large and small, natural disasters, disease. We all personally know many who are suffering at this very moment. Some are friends and acquaintances living in plain sight. Others are individuals in the
What qualities led to Moses’ leadership? Read More »
Jewish ReligionBy Rabbi Ben Kamin JERUSALEM—It’s different each time, the sensation driven by my religious body temperature at the moment, each occasion leavened by the vicissitudes of life, by doubt, skepticism, spiritual immobility or vague rhapsody—and certainly by my own vanities. One first has to get past the sense of being an intruder, even if one
A Reform rabbi’s thoughts at the Kotel Read More »
Jewish ReligionBy Rabbi Baruch Lederman SAN DIEGO — Yaakov gathered his sons around and asked them if they would be true bearers of the faith. His son’s answered in unison, “ShmaYisroel Hashem E-lo-keinu Hashem Echad.” “Here, O Israel, The L-rd our G-d, Hashem, the One and Only.” (Yaakov was alsoknown as Israel). This moved Yaakov and he
A father’s last wish Read More »
Jewish ReligionBy Rabbi Tzvi Hersh Weinreb NEW YORK –It was the last session of the course in which I was utilizing the book of Genesis as a text for the study of leadership. Since it was the final session, I decided that I would structure the discussion in a very different manner. I began by reminding
Blessing each other as Jacob did his sons Read More »
Jewish ReligionBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — A Chabad friend of mine sent me the following email that I would like to comment on. It comes from the Lubavitch Headquarters regarding how the Lubavitcher (Chabad) Hasidim must conduct themselves on Christmas Eve. Many Jews and Christians may find this custom interesting but very
Letting go of ancient, prejudicial customs Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiBy Rabbi Ben Kamin ENCINITAS, California — “What are you doing for Christmas?” people ask one another, naturally, often affectionately. (Let me quickly remonstrate that I not one of those Jews who is either offended by this kind question or by someone greeting or saying good-bye to me with the expression, “Merry Christmas!” Such an
On arriving in Israel at Christmas Read More »
Jewish ReligionBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — In this week’s parsha we conclude the trilogy of the Joseph narrative; the biblical narrator was especially skilled in creating a sense of drama and suspense. To summarize, Joseph has created new circumstances to see whether his brothers’ attitude has really changed over the last 22
The rope, the bucket and the gun Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiBy Rabbi Baruch Lederman SAN DIEGO — Yosef and all his brothers had a lot of conflict, but in the end, they were a family and truly loved one another, in addition to sharing a tremendous reverence for their father. Overcoming family friction and honoring parents makes everyone’s life better and richer as the following
The mother who showed off her ‘son the doctor’ Read More »
Jewish Religion