“A young boy was standing along the edge of the river. A man approached him and inquired, ‘What are you waiting for?’ Without hesitation the youth replied, ‘I am waiting for that steamboat to pick me up.’ ‘Foolish boy,’ said the man, ‘boats...

Whether you’re discovering Judaism for the first time or need a refresher, the 2024 “Intro to Judaism” course is an inviting way to explore Jewish history, holidays, life cycle events, and the Jewish way of living. Rabbi Rachel Bearman of Congregation...

A fundamental concept in Judaism states that God is always sending us messages. However, it’s up to us to adjust our dials (think old school transistor radios) to hone in on the frequency to be able to hear those messages. Recently, I received a...

“A person is given three names: one that their parents call them, one their fellows call them, and one that they acquire with their deeds.” (Midrash Tanhuma, Va-yakhel) The naming process is unique to each individual and culture, yet names...

This story was first published on My Jewish Learning. With the arrival of Shavuot next week, Jewish wedding season swings into high gear, and rabbis like myself will find ourselves quite busy. Truth be told, while a rabbi’s efforts are highly visible...

Aaron Abramson’s American upbringing is apparent when he speaks Hebrew, the language he learned as a teenager after his hippie parents decided to move the family from Seattle to Israel and become religiously Orthodox. His subsequent army service...

This story was originally published in the Forward. Click here to get the Forward's free email newsletters delivered to your inbox. On Sunday, thousands of Haredi Jews will gather on Mount Meron. They will sing, they will dance, and they will give 3-year-old...

Have you ever thought "What does it mean to be Jewish?" For some of us, just seeking answers to questions about our own Judaism, often raises more questions. Searching to provide a bit of clarity is what the Florence Melton School of Adult Jewish Learning...

How often do you mention God in your everyday speech?  Maybe more often than you might think.  God shows up frequently in our rote phrases. “God bless you,” after we sneeze. “Baruch HaShem,” “Blessed is the Name,” as an answer to “How...

Were I to be the director of the film version of our biblical stories, a moment in this week’s Torah portion would certainly be one that I would design as a climax.  We open with a speech by Judah, the longest oration in the Book of Genesis, as he...