Have you ever wondered what it's like to celebrate Hanukkah in the southern hemisphere? According to Congregational leader Matheus Zandona Guimares (of Har Tzion Messianic Synagogue in Belo Horizonte, Brazil), it's a hot, humid, and rainy affair.
Read MoreFacing a seemingly hopeless situation, the Maccabees did not succumb to defeatism or "overwhelm," nor did they compromise on their key principles. They followed the path that their ethical convictions dictated, regardless of the enormity of the task.
Read MoreHanukkah is an example of miracles, both obvious and hidden. In the story of Hanukkah, God works behind the scenes through Mattathias and his sons, but then we have the open and obvious miracle of the oil.
Read MoreEvery year we seem to have the same argument about the right way to load and light the candles in the menorah. "It's right to left!" "No, I swear I remember that it's left to right!" We usually count on Google to solve our debate. In the spirit of getting it right, here are four steps to lighting your menorah, beginning tomorrow night.
Read MoreWhat went haywire in the family of our ancestors that caused so much tension and so many devastating situations? The possibilities are many. The Torah is brutally honest in its recollection of events, and our emotions will be stoked as we read the portions over the next few weeks. I know that my emotions come alive as I read these chapters.
Read MoreThis week’s parasha illumines much for us as to who exactly Jacob/Israel was. It is important for us to know this because if we say we are the people of Israel, who exactly are we? A son emulates his father. Let us see whom we are emulating.
Read MoreIt’s a paradox: To find community, I have to find my individual self. Or turn that around: As I find myself in God, I find that I’m part of something much bigger than myself.
Read MoreEsau shows a lack of concern and disrespect for the birthright and the future it portends – “Esau ate drank, rose up, left, and spurned the birthright” (Gen 25:34). But we can still feel badly for Esau, for life without a blessing is but an imitation of life.
Read MoreA new Barna survey on Jewish millennials commissioned by Jews for Jesus has attracted lots of attention, including stories in the Jerusalem Post and JTA. I can’t go into the details here, but one finding was the importance that millennials place on social connection and community. A deeper question is what makes a community work? A survey can’t really address this question, but this week’s parasha does.
Read MoreThe stories of Genesis speak to us today because they trace the primal journey of identity formation. Identity tested through this journey becomes character.
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