Shabbat Vayeitzei: If – Then – Else
A joke is told about the New York man driving around desperately seeking a parking place. He can’t find one, and so in desperation, he says, “Oh God I pray that you give me a parking space, if you give…
Rabbi Adrian Michael Schell
Proudly Jewish - Proudly Progressive
Rabbi Adrian Michael Schell
Proudly Jewish - Proudly Progressive
Tag Torah sparks by Rabbi Schell
Parashat Toldot: Living For Tomorrow
One day, Jacob was making a stew when his brother Esau came in from a long day of being in the field and… “Esau said to Jacob, ‘Pour … me … some of that red stuff for I am exhausted.’…
Two Cities—two lessons—one people
This Shabbat we learn of two cities and two lessons. Each of these cities offers us a value and a cautionary note. We relearn these values and we recall their accompanying cautionary notes. The first city is from the Torah…
Noach—a righteous man?!
Noach, the central figure of this week’s parshah, is a bit of a conundrum. On one hand, he is described as ‘a righteous man, blameless in his generation’ (Gen. 6: 9), but on the other hand, when told by God…
A holy chutzpah – reflections on Yom Kippur and Sukkot
According to the Jewish tradition, the period of repentance continues after Yom Kippur until the end of Sukkot. These days may continue to be an opportunity for reflection, but these final days of the holidays are days of celebration. Though…
Take the choices into our one hands
The Torah declares: “Surely, this instruction which I enjoin upon you this day is not too baffling for you, nor is it beyond reach. It is not in the heavens, that you should say, ‘Who among us can go up…
Parashat Ki Tavo: Past, present and future
In Ki Tavo the Israelites are commanded to bring their first fruits as an offering: “When you come into the land that the Eternal your God is giving you for an inheritance and have taken possession of it and live…
Approaching the High Holy Days: The one key, you like to start with.
Do you have also a bunch of unmarked keys at home which you know that the each key must fit somewhere? Perhaps to an old box or door, perhaps to a lock, to your car, a gate, a diary, a…
Mitzvah School—Igniting the potential in everyone
Our Parasha for this week directs our attention on building a just society with a strong and independent judicial structure. While last week’s parasha called us to have mercy and compassion for those of our society who are less fortunate,…
My Chanicha Patrizia
Our Parashat Matot Masei, which brings the Children of Israel to the plains of Moab on the border of the Land of Israel, deals with the nexus between two of the founding stories of Judaism. The story of peoplehood frames…