by Rabbi Shaps | Aug 13, 2026 | Elul, Rabbi Zischa Shaps, Rosh Hashana, Shoftim, Weekly Parsha
This morning we blew the Shofar heralding the new month of Elul representing the start of the High Holiday season. The Shofar is a reminder that Rosh Hashanah the Day of Judgment is approaching and we should prepare ourselves. Parshat Shoftim begins with the laws of...
by Danielle Altonaga | Aug 6, 2026 | Danielle Altonaga, Re'eh, Weekly Parsha
Jingle, clink, jingle. When I was studying in Jerusalem, I always had coins in my bag. One of my teachers, Rebbetzin Ruthie Karlinsky, had advised her students: “Keep a bag of small coins with you. That way, whenever somebody asks for Tzedakah, you will...
by Shmuel Klein | Jul 30, 2026 | Eikev, Rabbi Shmuel Klein, Weekly Parsha
We often turn to God when life is difficult. In moments of illness, uncertainty, or fear,prayer can feel natural. But Parshas Eikev teaches that there is another spiritualchallenge. One that can be even harder to recognize: what happens when life isgoing well? Moshe...
by Rabbi Altonaga | Jul 23, 2026 | Rabbi Michael Altonaga, Tisha B'Av, Weekly Parsha
Over Tisha B’Av, we read kinnos. Tragic poetry to help get us in the mindset of the day. One such kinnah that really struck me related to the death of Zechariah ben Yohayada. Zechariah was a prophet in the First Temple period. He rebuked...
by Rabbi Shaps | Jul 16, 2026 | Devarim, Rabbi Zischa Shaps, Weekly Parsha
How important is Derech Eretz? Is it simply good etiquette, or is it something much deeper? The Torah teaches us that the respect we show others, especially in ordinary interactions, is not incidental—it reveals what is truly in our hearts. In this...
by Danielle Altonaga | Jul 9, 2026 | Danielle Altonaga, mattos-masei, Weekly Parsha
When I was growing up, I loved performing in plays. In addition to performance skills, I learned some valuable life lessons in the theatre. Through much of my adolescence, I was part of a theatre troupe called CharActors. Each year, we would learn and rehearse...
by Shmuel Klein | Jul 2, 2026 | Pinchas, Rabbi Shmuel Klein, Weekly Parsha
The 17th of the Hebrew month of Tammuz, which was on Thursday, began a period in the Jewish calendar known as the Three Weeks: a time when we remember the events that led to the destruction of Jerusalem and the Beit Hamikdash, the Holy Temple. One of the tragedies...
by Madison Taylor | Jun 25, 2026 | Uncategorized
By Rabbi Zischa Shaps The story of Bilaam and his donkey always reminds me of the old joke of a woman who is pushing a baby carriage down the street. A passerby smiles and says, “May I see the baby?” He looks into the carriage and is shocked to see a tiny old man...
by Rabbi Altonaga | Jun 18, 2026 | Korach, Rabbi Michael Altonaga, Weekly Parsha
This week’s Torah portion discusses the Rebellion of Korach. Much ink is spilled over the arguments brought by Korach and his followers and how Moshe dealt with the confrontation. Off the page though, hidden away in a Sanhedrin 109b, our Sages reveal how...
by Danielle Altonaga | Jun 11, 2026 | Danielle Altonaga, Shelach, Weekly Parsha
Imagine this: You have a friend – let’s call him Bob. Bob complains to you: “Nobody likes me. Nobody wants to hang out with me”. “That’s not true!” You exclaim. I am having a bunch of friends over tonight. Come join us.” Everyone comes over, and Bob does too. All of...
