Ambassador (ret.) Yoram Ettinger, “Second Thought” “Israel Hayom” newsletter, December 28, 2011 The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) published its December 2011 report, contending that in 2016, Jews will become a minoritybetween the Jordan River and the Mediterranean. According to the PCBS, there are 2.6 million Arabs in Judea and Samaria and 1.6 million [...] Read more »
Rabbi Chanan Morisson The very first exile of the Jewish people, the exile to Egypt, began as Jacob and his family left the Land of Israel. They intended to spend a short stay in Egypt until the famine passed. The Midrash (Yalkut Shimoni Hosea 528) makes a startling observation: “Jacob should have gone down to [...] Read more »
The Haftorah (Ezekiel 37: 15-28) for Parshat Vayigash (Genesis 44:18 – 47:27). Haftorah Vayigash Read more »
It is clear that the fragile constellation that makes up the Jewish state of Israel will be shaken and hurt by events like the disturbing confrontation at the Ephraim Brigade military headquarters between young, angry youth and the young, conscripted soldiers. Yet no event happens in a vacuum. These young people called the “hilltop youth” [...] Read more »
The Hanukkah lights and their lessons regarding living in the world and rising above jealousy and small mindedness. Hannukkah and Miketz podcast Read more »
by Rabbi Ari Goldwag How the High Holiday season actually culminates with Chanukah. When we think of the month of Kislev, we naturally think of the holiday of Chanukah that begins on the 25th day of the month. Looking on a deeper level, we can discern a thread that ties together the three-month period that [...] Read more »
Hineni/ Here I am is not a simple response in the Tanach, nor in our lives. After the seventeen year old Joseph describes his dreams to his family that seem to predict his future rulership over them, he creates a deepening rift of hatred and envy in the family. We read the following ”So his [...] Read more »
by Rabbi Chanan Morrison ( based on the writings of Rabbi Kook zt”l) After 20 years of hard labor under his treacherous uncle Laban, Jacob returned safely to the Land of Israel. Jacob succeeded in appeasing his brother Esau, and finally made it back to Bethel. Bethel was the place where, as Jacob set out [...] Read more »
We read in the parsha “And he said to him, what is your name? And he said, Yaakov. And he said, No longer will you be called Yaacov ( Yaacov) , but rather Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed. (Genesis 32:28-29). As we are to discover this naming [...] Read more »