by Rabbi Altonaga | Dec 4, 2025 | Rabbi Michael Altonaga, Vayishlach, Weekly Parsha
I had an unusual opportunity as a baal tchuva (someone who became religious later in life) that I got to pick my own Hebrew name. I chose the name Yisrael. There are a lot of meanings behind this name, but the verse that introduces the name for the first...
by Rabbi Altonaga | Nov 7, 2025 | Rabbi Michael Altonaga, Vayera, Weekly Parsha
Abraham gets up early in the morning, saddles his donkey, and climbs Mount Moria to sacrifice his son Isaac. At the last moment, G-d sends an angel to stop him. וַיֹּ֗אמֶר אַל־תִּשְׁלַ֤ח יָֽדְךָ֙ אֶל־הַנַּ֔עַר וְאַל־תַּ֥עַשׂ ל֖וֹ מְא֑וּמָה כִּ֣י | עַתָּ֣ה...
by Rabbi Altonaga | Oct 10, 2025 | High Holidays, Rabbi Michael Altonaga, Weekly Parsha
There is a custom to say “good kvittel” in this time period, specifically leading up to Hoshana Raba, the last day of Succos. A “kvittel” is a document. In this case, it refers to the document that was written about what your year will be like. We give a blessing that...
by Rabbi Altonaga | Aug 21, 2025 | Kosher, Rabbi Michael Altonaga, Weekly Parsha
A Canadian court order came out that prevented a law from coming into effect. That law, might have effectively put an end to Jewish kosher meat production in Canada (without affecting the meat production of any other group, I might add). Thanks to this court ruling,...
by Rabbi Altonaga | Jul 31, 2025 | Rabbi Michael Altonaga, Tisha B'Av
It was just another day in the room that was a hurricane of toys. My baby once again had the gall to play with his older brother’s toy. My toddler decided, that today was the day that he took matters into his own hands. He walked confidently over to his baby...
by Rabbi Altonaga | Jul 24, 2025 | Mattos, Rabbi Michael Altonaga, Weekly Parsha
Our Sages say that there is a secret 42 letter Name of G-d that is only told over to a select few who are modest, humble, and otherwise stellar in their character traits. That name of G-d is so holy, so powerful, that they worried about publicizing it’s...
