Parshat ha Shavuah Verses – Vayikra

Having missed two full weeks due to an enormous amount of new work that poured on me because some people cannot resist trying to do anything they can to disrupt the life of the Jews, I am back discussing the holy texts. This book, Leviticus –  וַיִּקְרָא is, possibly, the one that serves as the reason…

Back to the Darkness … Again?!!

These days are not like one another. G-d! I try! I try hard. I succeed … sometimes. I wake up. I smile. I even sing. And then I dance – the dance of a shot-down swan… Music is supposed to lift a person up. Not me. For me, it brings back tears. My love, my…

Another Easy Vegetarian Dish for Shabbat

It’s Friday again, and spring is trying hard to push its way through the winter that is not ready to step back. Yet, I think, we have seen just a little more vegetables that actually have taste in the stores. Here, in New York, it’s not a given. When I was in school, living in…

What Are We Really Cleaning for Pesach?

Below, I am posting some inspiring words of my friend, ILana TzipOra, who is too shy to post herself. I am hoping to encourage her to write more and share her words with the world. We never know how our words that seem mundane to us, can inspire other people. The more words of Torah we…

Jewish Places of the (Not-So-Distant) Past

כח  אַל-תַּסֵּג, גְּבוּל עוֹלָם–    אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ אֲבוֹתֶיךָ. 28 Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.  Proverbs – מִשְׁלֵי I love to go to museums. Art, history, architecture, objets d’art, furniture, you name it. Certainly, I look at many things through the prism of the relations to Jews and Judaism. What’s better than to…

Lost in Winter

It’s one of these days when I feel I am lost again. Lost without the people in my life gone forever. Lost without the main man in my life, my dad whose birthday is coming up in two days. Lost without my sister who was the epitome of the things a true woman possesses. Lost…

Parshat ha Shavuah Verses – Tetzaveh

With everything that’s going on, mostly, in my professional life which is closely related to the Jewish world in this country, no time for writing at all. So, here I am posting a few verses from this parshah that make me think. I would be very happy to hear your thoughts on these lines. ב  וְעָשִׂיתָ בִגְדֵי-קֹדֶשׁ, לְאַהֲרֹן…

Purim Treats

When I bake, I mostly, make one-big-piece desserts. Purim is the exception. Somehow, I can’t imagine the holiday without the little hat-like triangle hamentashen, the tastiest cookies with the variety of fillings. Mine are quite a bit of work, but the effort is certainly well worth it. You can use any filling, even a store bought container…

Parshat ha Shavuah Verses –Trumah

Once in the desert and having received the 10 Commandments, the Jews are told to start building a “dwelling place” for Divine Presence. To start the process everyone (every man to be precise) is asked to bring an offering, but only if they wish. ב  דַּבֵּר אֶל-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְיִקְחוּ-לִי תְּרוּמָה:  מֵאֵת כָּל-אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר יִדְּבֶנּוּ לִבּוֹ, תִּקְחוּ אֶת-תְּרוּמָתִי….