Time to Make Amends

Use the current month of Elul as an opportunity to seek out those you may have wronged, to ask for forgiveness. While observing someone we know acting inappropriately, rather than presume…

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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…

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Avinu Malkeinu

No prayer so thoroughly captures the Jewish people’s dual relationship with God as Avinu Malkeinu, “Our Father, Our King.” While Avinu Malkeinu is a prayer widely known to be part of the…

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For The Sins We Committed

One of the main steps in the process of teshuva (repentance) is for penitents to confess their sins and verbalize their errors. In so doing, those who seek forgiveness for committing a…

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Yonah of Geronah

It is a fact of history that students have frequently been at the center of radical movements, often under the influence of a teacher or mentor. This was the case of Rabbi Yonah of…

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The Fast of Esther

The Fast of Esther will be observed tomorrow, March 21st which coincides with the 11th of Adar on the Hebrew calendar. While the Fast of Esther is normally observed on the 13th of Adar,…

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Vayechi 5764-2004

"Can It Be a Mitzvah to Lie?" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald The late great Bible teacher, Nehama Leibowitz, alerts us to a major issue that appears in the narrative of this week's parasha,…

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Nitzavim-Vayeilech 5780-2020

“An Exclusive Covenant with an Inclusive Philosophy” (Revised and updated from Nitzavim-Vayeilech 5760-2000) by, Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald   In parashat Nitzavim, the first of this…

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Vayechi 5784-2023

Urgent message: Given the most challenging situation in Israel at this time, I urge all to pray for the bereaved families, the hostages, the missing and the many casualties. Please try to…

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