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Sam Lehman-Wilzig

May 21, 2026, 10:37 AM

Should We Change the Torah Reading Cycle (Again)?

What does the holiday of Shavuot (Pentecost) symbolize? There’s no clear answer because its “meaning” has undergone change over time. The Israelites received the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai, and we commemorate this on Shavuot based on counting the...

Sharona Margolin Halickman

Mar 4, 2026, 12:59 PM

Guaranteed safety during the holidays

In Parshat Ki Tisa (Shmot 34:23), we read about “Aliya LaRegel,” the mitzvah to go up to Jerusalem on the holidays of Pesach, Shavuot and Sukkot: Three times a year all your males shall appear before the Presence of the...

Feb 17, 2026, 5:24 AM

What Kind of Sukkah are You?

Life is full of tests. Some of them we choose, but many of them choose us. Some tests are predictable while others come out of nowhere. The real question is not whether we'll fall — it’s what we do...

Oct 22, 2025, 2:40 PM

PHOTO ESSAY – Sukkot in the Holy Land 5786

Waving the 4 Species - Western Wall (Avraham Wald)

There are times when photography becomes more than just taking pictures — it becomes a form of connection, reflection, and gratitude. This past Sukkot, I set out with my camera (as I do every other year) to document the...

Oct 18, 2025, 12:20 AM

Joy To The World! Simcha, Joy in Our Times

The following article is based on a Drasha that I gave on the second day of Sukkot at the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale – The Bayit. Please note that I have made certain changes for clarity in a written...

Oct 16, 2025, 11:30 PM

The Sheltering Sukkah of Peace – Sukkot Shabbat Ḥol HaMoed 5786

You know that moment when your kids surpass you? It’s wonderful — and it also reminds you that you’re getting older. My older son, Ari, and I used to ride hard on our road bikes. I was out front; he worked...

Justine Johnston Hemmestad

Oct 16, 2025, 10:05 PM

A New Direction

I’ll be pivoting a bit in my blog toward a more personal encounter with Judaism and the repercussions of the war, a departure from writing for my newspaper in a highly structured way. Now, to write about how worried...

Oct 13, 2025, 11:01 PM

Sukkot & Simchat Torah 5786

Sukkot and Simchat Torah are really special days. So let's take a deeper look into it so we can appreciate it even more. The First 6 Days of Sukkot We are commanded to shake The Four Spieces on Sukkot because The...

Jonathan Muskat

Oct 13, 2025, 8:59 AM

When Everything is Fragile: Faith and the Release of the Hostages

I want to share with you all what am I feeling right now — at this moment, at the cusp of the release of the hostages. I think I’m understanding Kohelet on a whole new level. Because Kohelet isn’t just a sefer about ideas —...

Oct 13, 2025, 8:23 AM

Serving Through Stillness and Joy

After the long journey from Rosh Hashanah through Sukkos, the visible mitzvos fall away. The shofar is silent. The sukkah is gone. The lulav is set aside. What remains are two quiet days that contain the essence of the...

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