Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach (z”l), my teacher and cousin, once said that it is quite easy to tell which are the most profound Jewish holidays. They are, he suggested, the ones that are observed by the smallest number of individuals.  His statement...

Moses relates the commandments the Israelites must fulfill on the fateful eve of Passover in Egypt in our parsha this week, Bo. Can you imagine their fear and trepidation? This includes the consumption of the paschal lamb. Moses is then told to give...

Before Exodus 2:24-25 (G*d heard their cry. . .and G*d saw"), there is little mention of G*d in the first few chapters of the Book of Exodus. G*d was not personally involved (hashgacha pratit in Hebrew) with Israel, as it were, but allowed events...

Eight years ago, when Rebecca “Becca” Berg went on a Birthright trip to Israel, her group met with volunteers from Gift of Life. The nonprofit runs a bone marrow and blood stem cell registry that helps facilitate transplants for children and adults...

Each year, as we prepare to read the final Torah portion in the book of Genesis, Parashat Vayechi, I am struck again by the opening verse of the portion: “And Jacob lived 17 years in the land of Egypt so that the total span of Jacob’s lifetime...

Are Jews strong or weak, powerful or oppressed? The answer, of course, is, yes. Israel, the Jewish state, is a nuclear power and, although small, has the strongest military in the Middle East.  And in so many ways, Jews are a strong, proud presence...

While some St. Louis Jews closed out Hanukkah 2021 at home, some ventured out and celebrated by wielding axes to honor Hanukkah and our Macabee ancestors. Last week, we told you how the Tanach, offers numerous references to axes, both as weapons or...

St. Louis has a multitude of groups and communities offering educational and social opportunities for younger Jewish men and women. One such group, Ignite YP is a Young Professional (YP) organization dedicated to extending Jewish learning opportunities...

Now that Hanukkah is over, it’s time to start cleaning those waxy menorahs. Instead of putting it off until next year (because didn’t your mother teach you that procrastination is bad?), we asked our readers for their advice. Some of the tips...

(JTA) — Last year, when he was 6, Bibi Shapiro broke the Jewish internet with his impassioned performance of “Avinu Malkeinu,” the plaintive poem that is recited on Yom Kippur. This year, the Australia grade-schooler is making a more subtle...

Our Torah portion this week, Parashat Miketz, focuses on Joseph’s rise to power and what transpires when he encounters his brothers after a lengthy hiatus. My focus has always been on the “what goes around, comes around” aspect of the story....