Rosh Hashanah (the “beginning” or “head” of “the year”) is the Jewish New Year, celebrated on the 1st of Tishrei (September-October) each year. As with all Jewish holidays, understanding its complete meaning requires understanding the law of root and branch by…
Although the Jewish people make up only 0.2% of all humanity, the profound impact of Jews on the world and the overwhelming attention we generate are undeniable. Jewish relevance then is not found in our numbers but in the quality…
Jewish spiritual leaders throughout the ages warned us time and again that unless we united, we would suffer. However, time and again, we would not listen. Today, the price for not listening will, in all likelihood, be too heavy to…
The Jewish nation began in the cradle of modern civilization: Mesopotamia, known as “the land between two rivers.” Mesopotamia was a vast and fertile land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in what is now Iraq. It was the birthplace…
More than 45 years ago, I left the Soviet Union for Israel. Back in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg), I once witnessed a brutal attack on a Jewish man. When I stepped in to help, the police explained that they punished…
Shavuot marks the moment of receiving the Torah at Mount Sinai. But what exactly is the Torah? Also, what was truly bestowed upon us? The Torah is not a historical record. It is a guide for shaping our lives that…
For decades, America has stood as a symbol of liberty, opportunity, and freedom. Jews who immigrated to its shores believed they had found refuge, a land where they could prosper and contribute to society without fear of persecution. But the…
The meaning of Lag B’Omer is generally not well understood. Its historical background and the sequence of events leading up to the holiday are unfamiliar, not to mention its spiritual significance, which has all but vanished from the public’s view.…
The connection to the source of life, the force of love, bestowal, and connection, goes through Israel. Israel here is meant in the spiritual sense (“Israel” from the words, “Yashar-El” [straight to the upper force]), not as a geographic location…
Every year, Holocaust Remembrance Day compels us to pause and confront the unbearable pain etched into the Jewish people. Today, as memory fades into history, we must not only mourn but reflect deeply on the causes and lessons of that…
To understand what is truly going on in the story of the Exodus from Egypt, we must first free ourselves from the constraints of time and place. “Egypt” is a code name for a particular social state, a system of…
What should we focus on during the key parts of the Passover Haggadah? Here are a few insights from the ancient wisdom of Kabbalah. “Why is this night different from all other nights?” On this night, we feel free. Free…