Rigoberto Vinas

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Jul 26, 2023, 9:30 AM

Juban Sefardic Tisha B’Av Memories

Being a Cuban Sefardic rabbi is never easy. It's a blessing but it isn’t easy! It's even harder for me this year as we commemorate the sad holiday of Tisha(ng) B'Av this 26 & 27 of July, 2023. The 26th...

Jun 20, 2016, 9:55 PM

Shavuoth and the Rainbow Flag

Memorial services for the 49 innocent men and women killed in the terrorist attack on a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida on June 12, 2016, have been taking place throughout the United States. At most of these services, the...

Jul 24, 2015, 8:54 AM

The Harlotry of Religion and the Lessons of Tisha B’Av

The Vision of Isaiah: “How she has become a harlot, a faithful city full of justice, in which righteousness would lodge but now murderers! Your silver has become dross your wine diluted with water. Your princes are rebellious and...

Jul 11, 2015, 2:58 AM

Parashat Pinchas to the Rebbes: To avoid chaos, leave a successor

The Blessed Transmission of Leadership From Moses to Joshua Jewish leaders must transcend themselves by grooming and empowering new leaders for the next generation. We see this in the transfer of power from Moses to Joshua in this week’s parsha and in...

Jun 13, 2015, 2:49 AM

One Law for All of Us – Convert or Born Jewish

“One Law -The Kohen shall atone for the erring person when he sins unintentionally before Hashem to atone for him and it shall be forgiven him. The native born among the children of Israel and the convert who sojourns...

Dec 20, 2014, 12:25 AM

José Wants to Talk to You

Modern Day Anusim and Joseph the Tzaddik In this week’s parsha Joseph’s brothers come into Egypt looking for food and appear before their own brother Joseph whom they do not recognize. They mistook him for an Egyptian and he did...

Dec 20, 2014, 12:24 AM

A Cuban rabbi’s bittersweet ‘welcome home’

Joy over Alan Gross's release is tempered by despair at the US move to prop up a repressive dictatorship

Dec 12, 2014, 5:35 AM

Jewish Women Soldiers & Chanukah

The Shulchan Aruch (Code of Jewish Law) specifies that while the Chanukiah (Menorah for Chanukah) is lit it is forbidden to engage in work that would distract a person from concentrating on the light of the Menorah and its...

Sep 13, 2014, 1:00 AM

Bar Mitzvah Year 9/11 – Thoughts of a Police Chaplain

As Chaplain and therefore a member of the Yonkers New York Police Department, my thoughts are heavy and filled with emotion when remembering the events of the vicious 9/11 attacks on our country -- 13 years ago. My thoughts also run to...

Sep 12, 2014, 11:00 PM

A Modern Bikurim Statement – To Thrive Not Just Survive!

Divrei Emmanuel Words of Torah in honor of Parashat Ki Tavo 5774 “The Mitzvah of Jewish Sovereignty over Israel” “When you enter into the land which God your God is giving you as an inheritance, you shall take possession of it...

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About Me

Rabbi Rigoberto Emmanuel Viñas (“Manny”), grew up in a traditional Sephardic home, born to parents of Cuban Sefardic ancestry who came to America after the Cuban Revolution in 1960. He was born and raised in Miami , Florida. Rabbi Viñas has Rabbinical ordination from Kollel Agudath Achim.