Category: Jewish Stories
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Tomorrow marks the second anniversary of Gil Marks‘s death. Even though I met Gil only a couple of times, I feel that I have to write about this amazing man. I was sad to see that his webpage was taken down. The man was not only the real walking food encyclopedia, but a Rabbi writing…
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This Parshah seems to contain many inner family struggles. First, it reminds us again that each birth is a miracle. As other imahot – אִמָּהוֹת – pra-mothers, Rivka did not immediately give birth. כא וַיֶּעְתַּר יִצְחָק לַיהוָה לְנֹכַח אִשְׁתּוֹ, כִּי עֲקָרָה הִוא; וַיֵּעָתֶר לוֹ יְהוָה, וַתַּהַר רִבְקָה אִשְׁתּוֹ. 21 And Isaac entreated the LORD for his wife,…
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Originally posted on "Multi-Focal" СТраницы Лины Городецкой: Одна из книг, написанных Эльдаром Александровичем Рязановым, называется “НЕподведенные итоги.” А одно из его стихотворений начинается фразой: “Жизнь прожить – нехитрая наука…” Такая ли нехитрая наука – жизнь? … Нужно просто уметь ее прожить мудро и в гармонии с собственным “Я”. И главное, любить ее и все, что…
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It is almost Shabbat here, in New York. This means that Shabbat has long descended on Jerusalem, the city of my dreams. Today, Israel is suffering again. No time, or strength to talk about the reasons of these deadly fires. Just these words, written long time ago bringing me back to it, again and again. When…
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There are not too many women whose stories are told in detail in the Torah. Sarah is one of these unique women that merits this validation from the Rabbis:”Avraham was secondary to Sarah in prophecy” (Shemot Raba 1:1). This woman was outstandingly beautiful, wise, modest and strong-willed at the same time. Yet, her death was…
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I spent my morning at the cemetery. It’s been half a year. What is time, anyway? Here, on this side of the door we all dread, and are all fascinated with, time is precious. It’s tangible. We all run to finish things we need to do, making plans for the day – don’t forget this, remember…
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This week is all about families and Gd. Avraham talks to Gd one way or the other many times. However, Sarah is the personality I am interested in. ו וַיְמַהֵר אַבְרָהָם הָאֹהֱלָה, אֶל-שָׂרָה; וַיֹּאמֶר, מַהֲרִי שְׁלֹשׁ סְאִים קֶמַח סֹלֶת–לוּשִׁי, וַעֲשִׂי עֻגוֹת. 6 And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said: ‘Make ready quickly three…
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I just wanted to say a few words about the event that happened yesterday at the Brooklyn’s Manhattan Beach Jewish Center. It seemed that everyone was there. About a thousand women were making challah together. It was not the bread that mattered. It was the energy. I am at a loss for words to describe my…
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There are two very significant points for me in this week’s Parshah לֶךְ-לְךָ Lech Lecha. First comes from an amazing shiur of Rabbi Sacks, the former Chief Rabbi of Great Britain. He argues that if we look closer at the text of the previous Parshah: וַיִּקַּח תֶּרַח אֶת-אַבְרָם בְּנוֹ, וְאֶת-לוֹט בֶּן-הָרָן בֶּן-בְּנוֹ, וְאֵת שָׂרַי כַּלָּתוֹ, אֵשֶׁת אַבְרָם בְּנוֹ;…
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וְנֹחַ, מָצָא חֵן בְּעֵינֵי יְהוָה But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD (Genesis 6:8) אֵלֶּה, תּוֹלְדֹת נֹחַ–נֹחַ אִישׁ צַדִּיק תָּמִים הָיָה, בְּדֹרֹתָיו: אֶת-הָאֱלֹהִים, הִתְהַלֶּךְ-נֹחַ These are the generations of Noah. Noah was in his generations a man righteous and whole-hearted; Noah walked with God (Genesis 6:9) Did you ever notice that…
Noshing Across the Nation 