A few days ago I participated in a leadership seminar for young diaspora Jews studying in Israel. I shared my hotel room with a young French Jew who considered making aliyah after completing his programme. When he found out that I am a rabbinical student and that I write weekly drashot (sermons) on current Torah […]

In parashat Vayetzei we get to know two miserable sisters. The elder, Leah, is deeply depressed because her husband, Jacob, does not love her. She believes that birthing Jacob a son will make him love her. Her hopes are dashed when she sees that Jacob does not change his heart even after she has given […]

“Thereupon Jacob put his children and wives on camels; and he drove off all his livestock and all the wealth that he had amassed, the livestock in his possession that he had acquired in Paddan-aram, to go to his father Isaac in the land of Canaan. Meanwhile Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and […]

In Parashat Toledot we see yet another of the stories for which Genesis, Bereshit, is so famous. You’re probably familiar with the basics of the story– Yitzhak and Rivka have two sons, the firstborn Ezav and the second-born Yaakov. Ezav is a man of the land, favored by Yitzhak , while Yaakov is described as […]

The “generations” of our people both past and future call out to us this Shabbat as we welcome new members of the Jewish people. Their souls are united with ours in the “generations” past and future. Welcome…. Last week we learned that our matriarch Rivka at the age of 14 became a spiritual descendant to […]

Thoughts On Parashat Chayei Sarah One could say that there are basically four types of romantic relationships between people: 1. The ones which are established quickly and end fast. 2. The ones which are established quickly and last for a long time. 3. The ones which are established slowly and last for a long time. […]