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Mah Nishtanah . . . A Seder for Yom Ha鈥檃tzma鈥檜t

May 16, 2014 By Samuel Barth | Commentary | Yom Hazikaron-Yom Ha'atzma'ut

In recent weeks, Medinat Israel (the State of Israel) was celebrated by citizens, residents, and the worldwide Jewish community with an array of observances for Yom Ha鈥檃tzma鈥檜t (Israel Independence Day). In synagogues of the Conservative/Masorti Movement, morning minyan included the Hallel prayer and a special Torah reading, affirming the understanding that the establishment of Israel is not merely an item in the political history of the mid-20th century, but a vital step in the spiritual story of our people and, perhaps, the world. The 鈥淧rayer for the State of Israel,鈥� included in the Shabbat morning service in almost all synagogues, speaks of Israel as 鈥�reishit tzemichat ge鈥檜lateinu鈥� (the beginning of the flowering of our redemption).鈥淩edemption,鈥� here, must be understood as the Messianic Era of universal peace and understanding.

Walking Together with God

May 16, 2014 By Daniel Nevins | Commentary | Behukkotai

I saw a strange thing on my walk to minyan the other morning.

Between Heaven and Earth

May 16, 2014 By Matthew Berkowitz | Commentary | Behukkotai

Fertility of humans and of the land is the essence of divine blessing.

Peacemaking and the Quest for Holiness

May 9, 2014 By Arnold M. Eisen | Commentary | Behar

The book of Leviticus could not be clearer on the point that extraordinary action is called for as part of the Israelite鈥檚 calling to be 鈥渉oly unto the Lord your God.鈥�

Shemitah, Freedom, and Covenant in the Face of Assimilation

May 9, 2014 By Matthew Berkowitz | Commentary | Behar

Parashat Behar opens with the commandment to observe the sabbatical cycle (for six years, one may plant crops and work the land and then, in the seventh year, the land must rest鈥攚hat is known in halakhic terms as shenat shemitah, 鈥渢he year of release鈥�); shemitah or 鈥渞elease鈥� is observed today in the Land of Israel.

Slivers of Memory (Yom Ha-sho鈥檃h V鈥�-ha-gevurah)

May 2, 2014 By Samuel Barth | Commentary | Yom Hashoah

Several decades ago, many ceremonies commemorating the Shoah attempted to tell the entirety of the story, with numbers that defied comprehension and broad-sweeping trends of history that submerged the experience of individuals in the story of a world run amok. In more recent years, I have observed that the experience and testimonies of individuals have become more prominent, perhaps serving as holographic slivers that represent the wider context. As survivors of the Holocaust are fewer in number each year, we turn to the writings, art, songs, and recordings born out of those years.

Call Them by Their Names

May 2, 2014 By Joel Alter | Commentary | Emor

When I鈥檓 at a hotel over Shabbat, I have a set Friday afternoon ritual.

Pride, Power, and Corruption in the Name of God

May 2, 2014 By Matthew Berkowitz | Commentary | Emor

In the wake of religious fundamentalism that plagues our world today, why aren鈥檛 religious leaders vocal in their opposition to bloodshed and corruption in the name of God?

Shema鈥� (Part 1)鈥擶hat We Know and What We Don鈥檛

Apr 25, 2014 By Samuel Barth | Commentary

Ask almost any group of Jews to identify the most important Jewish 鈥減rayer鈥� of all, and at the top of the list will almost certainly be the Shema鈥�. Technically, it is not a prayer, for it is not addressed to God, but to the community of Israel. But that is a technical quibble, so (for now) let it pass. Traditionally, we say the Shema鈥� twice each day within the formal liturgy, and also just before going to sleep.

Being Holy in the 21st Century

Apr 25, 2014 By Gerald C. Skolnik | Commentary | Kedoshim

If I were challenged to present a one-sentence, pithy articulation of the overarching responsibility of a Jew in this world, I would be hard pressed to find abetter phrasing than the second verse of this week鈥檚 Torah reading, Parashat Kedoshim: 鈥�Kedoshim tih鈥檡u, ki kadosh Ani Adonai Eloheikhem鈥�(Be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy).

The Kosher Golden Rule

Apr 25, 2014 By Matthew Berkowitz | Commentary | Kedoshim

Two great questions are often asked in our community: What is our obligation to our fellow Jews?

The Song of Songs: Lovers Absent and Present

Apr 18, 2014 By Samuel Barth | Commentary

This Shabbat, Hol Hamo鈥檈d Pesah, we read Shir Hashirim, the Song of Songs, the provocative and enigmatic cycle of lusty love poetry that is embraced (though not without challenge) by the canon of the Hebrew Bible. Dr. Francis Landy of Calgary University wrote a powerful and lyrical treatise on the Song of Songs entitled Paradoxes of Paradise, which opens with the reflection of Rabbi Akiva鈥斺€淎ll the Scriptures are kedoshim, holy, but Shir Hashirim kodesh kodashim, the Song of Songs is the Holy of Holies鈥濃€攔adically deploying the term otherwise used to describe the holiest place in the Temple.

鈥淭his Year We Are Slaves鈥�: How and Why Do We Celebrate Freedom in the Face of Oppression?

Apr 18, 2014 By Eliezer B. Diamond z”l | Commentary | Pesah

What does it mean to celebrate Passover in the shadow of death?

The Meaning of the Shmurah Matzah

Apr 18, 2014 By Matthew Berkowitz | Commentary | Pesah

One of the centerpieces of seder night is the eating of matzah, the unleavened bread.

Preparing for Seder Part 3鈥擵isual Midrash on the Four Children

Apr 11, 2014 By Samuel Barth | Commentary | Pesah

The four children (formerly known as the four sons) are among the most provocative part of the seder鈥攆or children provoke their parents. That is why Elijah is needed to restore peace between the generations. The evolution of the text as we find it in our Haggadah is complex, and interesting explanations can be found in the recent 91快活林 collection of Sound Bytes of Torah for Passove on YouTube. I have long been fascinated by the interpretation in imagery that offers four books, presumably each book representing one of the four 鈥渢ypes鈥� of child. But which one is which?

Sacrifice and Humility

Apr 11, 2014 By Matthew Berkowitz | Commentary | Aharei Mot

The Torah reading opens with God speaking to Moses in the aftermath of the death of Aaron鈥檚 two sons, Nadav and Avihu, who 鈥渄rew too close to the presence of the Lord鈥� (Lev. 16:1). But most immediately, as is the case in the aftermath of any trauma, we want to learn how to avoid another tragic 鈥渁ccident.鈥�

For Millennials and Their Families

Apr 10, 2014 By Arnold M. Eisen | Commentary | Shabbat Hagadol | Pesah

I gathered six students from 91快活林鈥檚 undergraduate Albert A. List College of Jewish Studies in my office last week to talk about the ways in which family dynamics add meaning鈥攁nd tension鈥攖o family Passover seders. I wanted to find out how these dynamics play out at the seders of my students, and share their insights with you here鈥攎illennials and college students, teens and tweens鈥攊n the hope that our discussion about the holiday will enrich yours.

Breath of Life鈥擭ight or Morning

Apr 3, 2014 By Samuel Barth | Commentary

The journey through the Passover seder is beloved by many households and communities that gather together. While the meal itself is a feast, the Aggadah, the telling of the story that comes before it, is a rich and multifaceted experience that brings together text and song, classic primary sources, modern interpretations, and personal experience.