Over this past holiday season, I found myself reflecting on the image of an apple and how it can be used as a tool for reflection, growth and learning. Each piece of the fruit reveals a different aspect of how we can grow in this coming year: the skin,...

What are the Jews? Not a religion, for there are many who would say they are Jewish but are not religious. Not a nation, for a nation is identified with its land and shared culture, and Jews have not had a land for most of their history and do not share...

When does passion turn to extremism? Sometimes it catches us by surprise. This week’s Torah portion, Balak, plays out this drama before our eyes. The narrative and poetry weave the tale of Balaam, a foreign prophet hired by Balak, the king of Moab,...

When I was in elementary school, I had a classmate who wore a shirt and tie to school every day. Although I remember his distinctive wardrobe choice decades later, I never spent much time thinking about his motives. Looking back, it would seem this was...

This week’s Torah portion, Ki Tissa, begins with a census. Moses is instructed to count the number of men available to be conscripted in the event of the need for self-defense against any enemy forces that might be encountered during their wandering...

According to a rather fanciful Midrash (Numbers Rabah 2:6), the custom of nations each having its own flag was derived from something in our Torah Portion for this week. In Sidrah B'midbar we read, "The Eternal told Moses and Aaron: The Israelites shall...