Parashat Va’etchanan
Moses looks at the Promised Land by the banks of the river Jordan, and continues his final speech to the Israelites before he dies. He pleads with God to allow him to enter the Land of Israel, but he is…
Rabbi Adrian Michael Schell
Proudly Jewish - Proudly Progressive
Rabbi Adrian Michael Schell
Proudly Jewish - Proudly Progressive
Category Rabbinic Thoughts
After a baby’s death we must be able to mourn
PLEASE join us in an effort to clean the children’s section at West Park Cemetery on August 23 at 10.00. Since ancient times, it has been the custom to mark the grave with a stone or monument. After Rachel died, “Jacob erected…
Parashat Devarim: Words like bees
Parashat Devarim, Deuteronomy Chapter 1:1-3:22 (Plaut p.1161; Hertz p.736) Haftarah Isaiah 1:1-27 (Plaut p.1180; Hertz p.750) Words have always had a central place in Judaism. As Jews, we have understood that words have real power: words create – words destroy…
Tisha b’Av and Tu b‘Av
Our Jewish tradition knows several fast days. Most known is for sure Yom Kippur, but Tisha b’Av, the ninth day in the month of Av, follows directly behind Yom Kippur in the awareness level. The day is regarded as the…
Torah Comment: Mattot-Massei
Once a month students from the Bet David Introduction to Judaism Course (ITJ) will write for the Ad Kan. Yola Tome’s contribution: Parashat Mattot speaks of making a vow to the Lord. Whether woman or man you are bound to…
We make Israel a more inclusive, egalitarian and democratic country
The message from IRAC Center: Israeli ultra-Orthodox Rabbi Freuchman Mandelbrot recently ruled that Jewish women are forbidden to use front-loading washing machines because they force women to bend over in provocative poses. The same rabbi ruled that (white) Jews are…
Abuse – do not remain silent (Parashat Tzav)
This evening, I am not going to share with you some regular thoughts on our Torah portion of this Shabbat. We will learn more about it tomorrow morning, especially from our Bat Mitzvah Jessica. What I would like to share…
Torah Comment Parashat Vayikra
Leviticus 1:1-5:26 (Reading Lev. 5:5–5:26 Plaut p.660; Hertz p.410) Haftarah for Shabbat Ha Chodesh: Ezekiel 45:16-25 (Plaut p.1457; Hertz p.1001) This Shabbat we start with the reading of the third book of the Torah, called Leviticus, or in our Jewish…
Radio Sermon – Parashat Vayikra
If you have missed the last “Devotion” by Rabbi Schell at Radio Today, or if you like to hear it again, you may find the Podcast here: The D’var Torah is providing a general introduction to the third book…
Torah Comment – Parashat Vayakehl Pekudei
Rabbi Schell’s Dvar Torah in this week’s Jewish Report: