Esther Farkovits - Educator Parshat Terumah We are told to make a dwelling place for HaShem, king of the universe, here on earth. We would expect something grand. Instead, it’s a small tent like structure in the desert known as the Mishkan. There is a deep lesson...
Rav Avram Block - Educator Parshat Mishpatim/Shekalim Parshat Mishpatim, which follows almost immediately after the revelation of the Aseret HaDibrot at Har Sinai, deals initially with mitzvot that we would usually characterize as civil law – issues dealing with slavery, theft, personal injury, damages etc. Rashi asserts that the connection to the...
Ellie Ausubel - Educator Parshat Yitro Kabbalat HaTorah Then and Now In this week's parsha, Parshat Yitro, we reach the climax of the Exodus; the very purpose for which we were extracted from Egypt – to receive the Torah. What does our tradition tells us about Kabbalat haTorah and how can that...
Rav Yehoshua Felberg - Educator Parshat Beshalach This week’s parsha features the climax of the story of the Exodus. Fleeing Egypt and bondage, the Jewish people at last reach the yam suf and find themselves trapped. Behind them, the Egyptian armies bear down. According to the midrash, Nachshon...
Sophie Felberg - Office Manager Parshat Bo וּלְמַעַן תְּסַפֵּר בְּאָזְנֵי בִנְךָ וּבֶן בִּנְךָ אֵת אֲשֶׁר הִתְעַלַּלְתִּי בְּמִצְרַיִם וְאֶת אֹתֹתַי אֲשֶׁר שַׂמְתִּי בָם וִידַעְתֶּם כִּי אֲנִי ה'. “And so that you may relate in the ears of your son and your son’s son that I made a mockery of the...
Rav Yonaton Hirschhorn - Mashgiach Ruchani Parshat Va'era At the end of last week’s Parsha, after Pharaoh wholeheartedly disregards him, Moshe approaches Hashem with a broken heart and cries, “Why have You wronged this nation?”In Perek 51 of Tehillim, David HaMelech writes that, more than anything else,...
Alexis Levy - Assistant Director Parshat Vayechi Parshat Vayechi draws the curtains on Sefer Bereishit but also on the lives of our Avot. Yaakov, lying on his deathbed, calls Yosef to him before blessing all of his children. Yosef is told that he is receiving a special portion...
Shira Melamed - Director Parshat vayigash This week’s parsha is loaded with much action, drama and content. There are family reunions, years of unsaid words finally spoken, and much more. But the one pasuk I would like to focus on is what Yosef told his brothers after he disclosed...
Tali Karp - Educator Parshat Vayeshev In the beginning of this week’s parsha, Parshat Mikeitz, Pharaoh has two dreams. Pharaoh awakes perturbed and seeks interpretations for these dreams. His advisors are unsuccessful in helping him until the Sar Hamashkim, the butler, remembers Yosef who had previously interpreted his...
Lani Margolias - Educator Parshat Vayeshev Studies show that over 70% of teens are not happy with the way they look, and that percentage increases as they get older, especially with women. When did looks and the emphasis on appearances become a focus in our society? The truth...