This week’s Torah portion, Vayakhel, begins on a familiar note. After all, it was just last week, on Purim, that we read Queen Esther’s dramatic response to Mordechai’s request that … more

As a person who likes to see connections between the Jewish calendar of holiday celebrations and the weekly Torah reading, I have long been perplexed by the proximity of Purim to this week’s … more

This column is a product of my experience with two of my mentors, one who passed away relatively recently and the other who passed away long before I was born. The first was Rabbi Dr. Abraham J. … more

B ack in the days when I was a pulpit rabbi in Baltimore, I made it my business to meet with every bar mitzvah boy and girl several weeks before their big day. We would discuss their interests, … more

This week’s parsha, Beshalach, narrates the miraculous splitting of the sea and the sublime song of praise composed by Moshe and sung by all of Israel, including his sister Miriam and the women … more

There are questions that people ask when they have experienced great disappointment. One such question, a theological one, is, “What did I do to deserve this? What sin have I committed that … more

I n preparation for this week’s parsha column, I did a search for famous quotes about success. I found hundreds of examples of high-sounding praises of success, ranging from Winston … more

We know him as Moshe Rabbenu, Moses our Master, Moses our Teacher, Moses our Master Teacher. But is it his name, given to him by an Egyptian princess, that grants him the role of this … more