It Begins at Home
This week’s Dvar Torah is dedicated to Mrs. Toby Singer who passed into Gan Eden this past week. Growing up in Buffalo, NY, Mrs. Singer’s home was my second home. She taught me by example about Judaism, Torah and life. It was there that I learned about the light of...
Integrity; Living Like a Jew
Avrohom Avinu is often referred to as ‘the first Jew’. He stood out from the masses in one important way. He searched for truth. He lived by the truth. He always did what was right. “Avraham, from his earliest childhood, began his own intellectual search for truth and...
The Hero
Abraham in his life time endured ten great challenges. He withstood them all. (Pirkei Avos 5) Abraham was not the first human being to be tested by G-d. Adam and Eve were also tested; but they were not able to stand up to God’s test. The generations following Adam...
Tradition vs. Creativity
Adam and Eve had three sons. The first two were the famous Cain and Abel. The third is introduced in the following manner. "When Adam had lived 130 years, he begot a son in his likeness after his image [bid'muso k'tsalmo], and named him Seth" (Gen. 5:3). Similar...
Where are the Pashkevil?
Pashkevil are protest posters that are pasted on walls. They are particularly common in Jerusalem as a means of conveying directives to the public. I had the privilege of living in Jerusalem. Everyday there are posters about a new threat or problem facing the Jewish...
The Quest For Jerusalem
On a spiritual voyage, the expedition, the trek, searching, yearning, finding it and just getting there, is the mission in and of itself! If we would know where it is then it wouldn’t be as holy.
It’s Hug Time
The three weeks and the nine days are behind us and the High Holidays are not yet here. So, it’s party time. Concerts, barbecues, hiking and a lot of junk food in the Mountains. The Catskills have the feel of a Jewish Woodstock. It is a break between crisis and...
The Jewish Neshama
Some years ago while serving as a Rabbi in Buffalo, New York I remember standing at my place in Shul, Sunday morning, seeing the large oak door to the Shul open a crack. There at the door was an elderly woman, a member of the congregation, who was motioning for me to...
“We Need Our Space”
"We love Torah and we love G-d, but we can't live together with the rest of the Jewish people. We are willing to support you, teach you, do business with you; we'll even fight in your wars! But we need our own space." These were the words of the leaders of Gad and...