With the anointing of Aaron, Moses hands over something he will never have again. He lovingly gives up a part of his leadership, so that the people can be better served.

May 2010     Oodles of children scramble happily on the painted playgrounds and roll down the grassy slopes, their sweet voices echoing in the mountain air. Nearby, sprinklers water the vineyards and Yeshiva Bible students amble by, busily discussing points of Talmudic Law. This happy, thriving scene plays out on the breathtaking, windswept Har […]

Road inside Alon On my first day visiting communities, I went to Alon, a community northeast of Jerusalem, along the Jericho Road.  Rabbi Danny Segal and Dikla Zenter met me outside the community in a large parking lot.  Rabbi Segal is the community rabbi and Dikla is the head of social services in the community.  […]

Vayikra (And He (G-d) Called) –  Leviticus 1:1 – 5:26 This week we begin reading the Book of Leviticus.  This book of the Torah is dedicated primarily to instructing us in the various sacrifices that are brought in the Tabernacle and, later on, in the Temple, as well as other instructions pertaining to the work […]

The first verse in chapter 40 provides us with the date that the Tabernacle was completed — the first day of the first month, or the first of Nissan. Nissan is the month which begins the Biblical count of months and it falls at this time of year. It is also known as the month of the spring (Deuteronomy 16:1). It is not the month of Rosh HaShana

February 2012 He’s our car mechanic.  His garage is conveniently located in the Industrial Area right outside Karnei Shomron.  But Shalom is also my neighbor, his house on the block parallel to mine.  Shalom is an interesting personality.  When you go to drop off your car, you may get an earful of male chauvinism, with […]

The month of Adar always keeps me on an emotional roller coaster. Usually coinciding with the month of March, it is a natural time of happiness. The jolly, festive holiday of Purim falls in the middle of Adar, and for weeks beforehand, schools, kinder- gartens, synagogues, and entire neighborhoods enlist to join in the celebratory […]

As I write this newsletter, I am in Australia on what has become an annual February trip.  This is my third visit to this far away country and, as always, I so enjoy the people, the landscapes and the weather.  Although the news was full of terrible floods and wild fires in Australia before I […]

Ki Tisa (When You Raise Up/Count) Exodus 30:11 – 34:35 This week’s Torah portion begins with verse 11 of Exodus 30 — the commandment of each member of the Nation of Israel to give a half a shekel for the upkeep of the Tabernacle. Interestingly, there are a number of ideas that are compressed into […]

December 2009   We had parent teacher conferences on Sunday for my 14 year old son Avraham. Avraham’s our first boy after four daughters, so choosing a high school for him had been a new experience. Dormitory schools are pretty standard, especially for boys, and I tried not to be insulted that my independent son […]