Family
- 5784, Benjamin, Bereshit, Dreams, Egypt, Family, Famine, Genesis, Goshen, Jacob, Joseph, Parsha, Pesach, Slavery, Vayigash
Goshen-ward
We move from dreaming in the last parsha to the fulfillment of Joseph’s dream to have his family together again in Parashat Vayigash. At least – this seems to be a narrative juxtaposition…
- Childbirth, Children, Family, Generations, Komps Kaos, Leviticus, Maternity Leave, Offering, Parents, Parsha, Provision, Purity, Ritual, Separation, Skin Diseases, Tazria, Vayikra
Ancient Maternity Leave
Parashat Tazria consists of only two chapters, but they are packed to the gills with instructions about bodily purity. This year, the opening verses caught my attention – instructions for women following childbirth.…
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Ravaging Redemption
In the midst of celebrating our “national” freedom from slavery to the Egyptians (and isn’t that somewhat problematic – the overuse of the word “national,” often leading to a nationalistic attachment to an…
- Brothers, Chanukah, Chanumas, Dancing, Dreidel, Drought, Egypt, Family, Friends, Identity, Kislev, Komps Kaos, Miketz, Parsha, Synagogues
Dreidels, Drinks, & Dancing!
A freylekhn und a lichtige khanike!! This week’s been a little (increasingly) brighter every night, thanks to the chanukiahs, hugs, smiles, laughter, stories, and love of the Festival of Lights. How are you…
- Agriculture, Archaeology, Beach, Dead Sea, Family, Galilee, Haifa, Hiking, IDF, Israel, Jerusalem, Museums, Music, Negev, Synagogues, Tel Aviv, Tel Gezer, Tel Hadid, Travel, Tzippori
Milk & Honey & Torah & Harvest
My family’s been in Israel long enough that I don’t remember a time when we weren’t wandering the trails through old crusader buildings, vineyards and olive groves, passing bus stops throughout our small…
- Academia, Archaeology, Bible, Creativity, Dreams, Family, Friends, Haifa, Homeland, HUC, Israel, Jerusalem, Midrash, Mishnah, PhD, Talmud, Tel Aviv, Tel Dan, Tel Gezer, Travel
Back to the Land
A short update from a long year (hence the void of posts – sometime I will get through a full Torah cycle): In a week, I will have completed my Ph.D. coursework. How…
- Aaron, Archaeology, Attributes, Census, Craftsmen, Family, Golden Calf, Ki Tisa, Moses, New Orleans, Offering, Parsha, Radiance, Ritual, Sinai, Smells, Synagogues, Tabernacle, Tablets, Worship
Mardi Gras & Radiant Faces
Last week I was in New Orleans celebrating the return of spring with my family. We enjoyed touring Touro Synagogue, hanging out in the French Quarter, attending the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, visiting…
- Birthday, Boundaries, Commandments, Egypt, Family, Friends, Mishpatim, Mitzvah, Museums, Parsha, Questions, Rules, Textual Criticism
The Boundaries of Growth
My birthday week was superb! Dinner with friends, airplanes, art, tons of museums, presidential history, Oscars, my dad and a friend visiting, Shabbos dinner at my house, and plenty of good conversation –…
- Benjamin, Bereshit, Chanukah, Dreams, Egypt, Family, Famine, Jacob, Joseph, Light, Maccabees, Menorah, Miketz, New Year, Parsha, Pharaoh, Prison, Trials
Don’t Let Your Light Go Out!
This is the week of our Chanukah celebration. Each night we lit candles and remembered the story of the Maccabees. This strong family served as a light for our people. The first book…
- Abraham, Advent, Bereshit, Chayyei Sarah, Death, Family, Genealogy, Generations, Isaac, Life, Parsha, Rebekah, Sarah, Stories, Thanksgiving
Matriarch Madness
This week has been…yeah, a week and a half! Between school assignments, eight hours of driving, and hanging out with family, my post on Parashat Chayei Sarah didn’t get done last weekend. And…
