Tidbits of Torah

Shabbat Parashat Vayigash Happy and Healthy 2021

Posted on December 28, 2020

Dear Friends, I take this opportunity to wish you and your loved ones a very happy and healthy 2021! 2020 has been a trying year for all of us. As we experience difficulties ourselves, we can relate to the difficult times that we read about in our weekly Torah portion of Vayigash. We can relate Continue Reading »

Shabbat Parashat Miketz Gratitude

Posted on December 18, 2020

Dear Friends, Mitketz is such a tumultuous Torah portion. Dreams abound. Plans are fomented. Hopes are fulfilled or dashed, depending on the circumstances. And all of this comes on the heels of Chanukah – the Festival of Lights – the holiday that speaks to our resilience in the face of whatever tumult surrounds us. What Continue Reading »

Shabbat Parashat Vayeshev Hanukkah – Day 2 Shabbat Mevarekhim HaChodesh Happy Hanukkah

Posted on December 11, 2020

Dear Friends, I don’t know about you, but I share with you now that, to me, this Hanukkah is different from all Hanukkahs that we have experienced. How so? We may be ready to light a new candle each night and to recite the blessings, but I would guess that many of us, like myself, Continue Reading »

Shabbat Parashat Vayishlach Looking Forward

Posted on December 4, 2020

Dear Friends, We are all looking forward to something good…. I am looking forward to the joy of Chanukah and to lighting candles each of the 8 nights of Chanukah (beginning on Thursday evening, December 10th). I am looking forward to many other things as well, such as: Seeing you at services this evening; Sharing Continue Reading »

Shabbat Parashat Vayetze Earthly Angels

Posted on November 27, 2020

Dear Friends, I hope you will join us for Friday night services as we celebrate Shabbat and as we continue to mark Thanksgiving weekend. Imagine the fear that gripped Jacob’s heart as he began his lonely flight from his family and from his home to far-away Haran. This is the story which opens our weekly Continue Reading »

Shabbat Parashat Toldot Thanksgiving Then and Now

Posted on November 20, 2020

Dear Friends, I hope you will join us for Friday night and Shabbat morning services as we celebrate the bar mitzvah of David Spigel. Mazal Tov to David and to the entire family! This week’s Torah portion, Toldot, highlights the impact that a single special festive meal can have on a family and on the Continue Reading »

Shabbat Parashat Hayyei Sarah Hesed: Even Greater than Tzedakah Shabbat Mevarekhim HaHodesh

Posted on November 13, 2020

Dear Friends, I hope you will join us for Friday night and Shabbat morning services as we celebrate the bar and bat mitzvah of Jayden and Adyson Kaufman. Mazal Tov to Jayden and to Adyson, and to the entire family! This week’s Torah portion, Hayyei Sarah, includes the remarkable story of Abraham’s servant, Eliezer, fulfilling Continue Reading »

Shabbat Parashat Vayera Generosity and Hospitality

Posted on November 6, 2020

Dear Friends, I hope you will join us for Friday night services this evening as we continue our celebration of Leila Coltrain’s bat mitzvah! Yesterday, we heard and saw Leila have an aliyah to the Torah, read from the Torah, and chant Haftarah as part of our Thursday Morning minyan. It was a wonderful celebration Continue Reading »

Shabbat Parashat Lech L’cha Moving From the Scary to the Sacred

Posted on November 2, 2020

Dear Friends, Lech L’cha [Go forth] implies an imperative to move forward. These are the opening words of our weekly Torah portion. Lech L’cha [Go forth]. This is what God communicated to Abraham in our weekly Torah portion. And, this is what we too must confront. But, what is our direction? With so many scary Continue Reading »

Shabbat Parashat Bereishit Shabbat Machar Chodesh Shabbat Mevarekhim HaChodesh Live and Learn!

Posted on October 16, 2020

Dear Friends, I hope you will join us this Friday night and Shabbat morning as we celebrate the Bar Mitzvah of Zachary Busch. Mazal Tov to Zachary and to his entire family! Having just completed the annual reading of the Five Books of Moses on Simchat Torah, we now begin anew reading the Creation story Continue Reading »