Selichot
In addition to the unique prayer services of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, the High Holidays are known for one other service: selichot. A collection of religious poems and verses, selichot…
School Thoughts
September looms and children all over have either just begun school or will be starting shortly. Judaism has always been a culture focused on learning. The Torah commands parents to teach…
Development of the Haggadah
On Passover night we are commanded v'hee'ga'd'ta and you shall tell, the story of the Exodus. (Notice the shared root of hee'ga'd'ta and Haggadah.) The Passover Haggadah serves as a…
Sacrifice and Innocence
Inherent in traditional Jewish thought is a longing for the Holy Temple. Many Jews long for the days when columns of smoke rose from the flames of the altar as devout worshipers brought…
The Chassidim of Ger
While the Holocaust destroyed numerous chassidic communities, some of the surviving sects maintained their significance and impact after the war. Such was the case of the Ger Chassidim.…
Ignorance Is Not Bliss
It is an unfortunate fact that a large portion of the Jews who came to North America in the early 20th century were unable to live full Jewish lives. There was little Jewish education…
For The Dogs
The domestication of dogs is as old as...well, actually, there are varying scientific opinions. The remains of what seem to be domesticated dogs appear among the fossilized remains of the…
The Great Sea Monster
For most of history, sea monsters were considered among the greatest perils of sea travel. Most probably, the “monsters” that they feared were simply whales, sharks and giant squid that…
Kindness To Animals
Animals are one of the most important “educational tools” God provided to humanity in order to teach them to be “givers.” While animals can’t communicate with the same ability as humans,…
The Blessings of the Amidah: God’s Might
The nineteen blessings of the Amidah make up the core of the Jewish prayer service. The second blessing is a meditation on God’s might and His role in the basic flow of life. Ah’tah gibor…