Tidbits of Torah

Shabbat Parashat Ki Tissa Shabbat Parah Cows (!) and Effect… March 10, 2023 – 18 Adar 5783

Posted on March 10, 2023

Dear Friends, I hope you will join us this Friday night and Shabbat for Men’s Club Shabbat which promises to be great fun.  I suppose it is “cause (or cows) and effect”, that we gather together on a few extra special Shabbatot as we gear up for Passover, hoping to be spiritually prepared for the Continue Reading »

Shabbat Parashat Tetsaveh Shabbat Zachor What Should I Wear? March 3, 2023 – 11 Adar 5783

Posted on March 6, 2023

Dear Friends, As Purim approaches, many of us find ourselves asking: “What Should I Wear?” to the Megillah reading.  Of course, we ask ourselves a similar question on many other ocassions as well….What Should I Wear?  Fun clothing? Old clothing? New clothing? Fancy clothing? Relaxed clothing?  In our society, for the most part,  we have so many Continue Reading »

Shabbat Parashat Mishpatim Shabbat Shekalim Shabbat Mevarekhim HaChodesh Our Participation Counts February 17, 2023 – 27 Shevat 5783

Posted on February 17, 2023

Dear Friends, This is a special Shabbat!  Of course, every Shabbat is special, simply because it is sanctified as “special” time – holy time.  But this Shabbat is extra special. This is the first of four special Shabbatot that lead up to Passover.  Shabbat Shekalim gets its special name from the Maftir Aliyah that is Continue Reading »

Shabbat Parashat Yitro Following Through February 10, 2022 – 20 Shevat 5783

Posted on February 10, 2023

Dear Friends, How easy is it for us to proverbially “put the cart before the horse”?  How many times have we jumped to conclusions and acted upon them before we figured out that our conclusions were based on erroneous assumptions? Of course, we should think before we act. However, there is also a danger in Continue Reading »

Shabbat Parashat B’Shalach Shabbat Shirah Singing in the Rain! February 3, 2022 – 13 Shevat 5783

Posted on February 3, 2023

Dear Friends, How long should we wait before we sing a joyous song?  Should we wait until the world is perfect?  Should we wait until all injustice and misfortune are defeated?  If we did, we might never get a chance to sing!  Of course, the old favorite song, “Singing in the Rain” gives us a Continue Reading »

Shabbat Parashat Bo All Together Now! January 27, 2022 – 6 Shevat 5783

Posted on January 27, 2023

Dear Friends, I hope you will join us at services this Shabbat as we celebrate the bat mitzvah of Jordan Coltrain.  Mazal Tov to Jordan and to her entire family! Finally!  We can all be together again in person and on Zoom!  And, thankfully, we can celebrate a bat mitzvah together!   What a blessing!  But, Continue Reading »

Shabbat Parashat Va’era Shabbat Mevarekhim HaChodesh Soul Stretching January 20, 2022 – 28 Tevet 5783

Posted on January 20, 2023

Dear Friends, How often do we get up in the morning and feel a natural need to stretch our muscles?  Naturally, since we have not used them much when we were asleep, we need to “warm up” and to “stretch” our bodies in order to feel ready to take on the new day. The same is Continue Reading »

Shabbat Parashat Vayechi Blessing and Being Blessed January 6, 2022 – 14 Tevet 5783

Posted on January 6, 2023

Dear Friends, I hope you will join us for services and events this weekend as we welcome our ISJL program associate, Sophie Bernstein! As I was reading this week’s parsha, Vayechi [and he, Jacob, lived…]  I noticed that in describing the end of Jacob’s life,  the Torah tells us that Jacob decided to gather his Continue Reading »

Shabbat Parashat Vayiggash Happy and Healthy 2023 December 30, 2022 – 7 Tevet 5783

Posted on December 30, 2022

Dear Friends, I take this opportunity to wish you and your loved ones a Happy and Healthy 2023!  How time flies…and yet Torah teaches us to keep our spirits up and not to give up on our personal and collective dreams and vision. This coming Tuesday is Asarah B’Tevet [the tenth day of the Jewish month Continue Reading »

Shabbat Parashat Mikkets Rosh Chodesh Tevet – Day 1 Chanukah Day 6 Personal Responsibility December 23, 2022 – 30 Kislev 5783

Posted on December 23, 2022

Dear Friends, Who is really in charge?  We often struggle with assuming responsibility for our actions.  It is easy to say: So and so talked me into it.  Or…It wasn’t my idea!  But, despite all of those true or partially true circumstances, in most instances, we are still personally responsible for our actions. In our Continue Reading »