Wednesday May 29, 2024 | 21 Iyyar 5784
The Jewish community the world over finds itself in a jubilee year, 50 years since the Six Day War. The very existence of the Jewish people, from its very inception – our redemption from Egypt and formation as a people at Mount Sinai, when we received the Torah – and throughout our 3,300 year […]
When we celebrate the holiday of Passover we are not only remembering events of long ago but personally reliving the theme of freedom from bondage. As we read how pharaoh was suspicious and fearful of the “otherness” of the Jewish people (Exodus 1:8-10), we see echoes in today’s growing anti-Semitism. The response to anti-Semitism, […]
Loving one’s fellow as oneself is the most important mitzvah in the Torah, and as important as it is, it is equally as difficult at times when our “fellow” is someone with whom we disagree, feel frustrated, or just don’t feel any particular connection. It’s a good thing that the Torah provides endless inspiration […]
There is scientific truth, philosophical truth, historical truth and moral truth. At least there used to be. The demise of truth was predicted in George Orwell’s prophetic novel, “1984,” published in 1949, which described a dystopian world in which language had been purposefully twisted and debased to create a reality unmoored to events, history or truth. […]
On Friday, Jan. 20 our country will once again come together to engage in a long standing practice within our union: the inauguration of the president of the United States. Every four years our nation elects or re-elects a leader to be sworn in, a leader who promises to uphold the will of the citizens […]
Why do we focus on the miracle of the oil, not the Maccabees’ military triumph? One of the puzzling aspects of Chanukah is that while we give great focus on the miracle of the oil burning for eight days, we lack a focus on the miracle of the Maccabees’ military triumph against the Greek army. […]
A new era for Beth Israel Sinai This D’Var Torah is published in recognition of the last High Holy Days services at the current location of Racine’s Beth Israel Sinai. After more than 6o years at 944 Main St., the synagogue will be downsizing to preserve the congregation for future generations, said Rabbi Martyn […]
It has been a chaotic summer in some ways. Our lovely days of summer have been tempered with disruptions, some large and some small. We have grieved for loss of life in mass shootings in public spaces. We have witnessed two national political conventions. Some of us are divided by politics, by views not […]
As we enter the month of August we are in the midst of the three weeks that lead up to one of the saddest days in Jewish History – Tisha B’Av. On the ninth day of the Hebrew month of Av we mourn the destruction of both Biblical Temples in Jerusalem (587 B.C.E. and 70 […]
If, during Shemot, the Book of Exodus, we were tempted to sugar-coat the behavior of our ancestors, exemplifying them as models of gratitude, patience and respect, we might want to reconsider now that we are midway through the Bamidbar, the Book of Numbers. This is the month we read Shelach, Korach, Chukat and Balak, […]
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