In this week’s parshah, we learn about the construction of the Tabernacle that the Jews were commanded to build in the desert. It is a well known concept in Jewish life that there exists a direct link between the Tabernacle and the day of Shabbos: Every single creative activity that was needed in ...

In this week’s Torah portion, we read about the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. Within the Torah’s description of that untimely event, the parshah lists the “Ten Commandments� that were passed down to us from God. Let us focus on one of those commandments; that of Shabbos (the Sabbath). ...

A team of Chabad activists led by Rabbi Shimon Elharar has begun a new initiative to protect Israel from her enemies: encouraging Jews to use tefillin (phylacteries). Jews are responsible for each other, Rabbi Elharar explains, according to the verse, “The entire people of Israel are guarantors fo...

Before the other links... that documentary series in Britian on SkyNews about Jews in the Manchester community mentioned earlier is truly riveting. I watched Episodes I and II earlier, and they were rather well done, mostly letting the people speak and describe in their view what they're doing. I is...

As my time at Adamah (the Jewish farming fellowship) fellow came to a close, I felt like our season as farmers also came full circle.  For me personally, the experience on the farm also marked my transformation from an Artistic Administrator for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (a fancy-clothes weari...

Dec. 4, 2008Barbara Sofer , THE JERUSALEM POST This Hebrew month of Kislev, the season of Hanukka, began with a call-up for candlelighters. Last Friday, the first day of Kislev, the words of Hallel in my Jerusalem synagogue sounded like a cry of anguish: Please, God, save now! But then our worst fea...

A very close friend of mine is looking for a graphic web designer for their company website. Kindly email me if you are interested in the gig or have any leads: jacobdajew at gmail dot com. G-d Bless America & Good Shabbos...

Last night, a friend of mine from Los Angeles told me about a friend of his parents, also from L.A., who had spent the Shabbos prior to the terrorist attacks in Mumbai. This man, Dr. Sherwin Isenberg, had spent Shabbos with Rabbi Gavriel and Rivkah Holtzberg, zt’l. Fortunately, Dr. Isenberg le...

The first sabbath of a new age - relish it. Talk to you Saturday night....

Unbelievable. The shit that people hurl during a political campaign is simply staggering. We had over on Shabbos someone from my Shul together with his wife. During the meal, the conversation drifted towards the presidential campaign. Some unsavory tidbits: "Obama is the new Hitler" ( WTF!!!) "Even ...