Archive | D’var Torah

It’s felt like Purim in my house since December.  That obnoxious toy that Uncle David bought Adina for Chanukah not only plays “Old McDonald,” every time she presses the cow button, but it also plays a Purim song from one of my earliest childhood memories.  Our music lady, Sandy Paskus, played piano as we all […]

By Tami Weisman, Education Intern “Cynthia and Lisa built a house for their puppies and I said can I play and they said no because I don’t have a puppy only I have a kitty.” This is the longest sentence that little, shy Clara has spoken in school to date. There is more to come. […]

By April Akiva, MAJE What is the connection between Tu B’Shevat and the Exodus from Egypt? Each year parashat Beshalach, which recounts the Israelites crossing the Sea of Reeds, coincides with Tu B’Shevat, the Jewish New Year for trees and produce.  While on the surface there are no obvious associations between the holiday and the […]

D’var Torah by April Akiva At the age of seventeen, enrolling in an Advanced Placement biology class marked a new chapter in my steadfast relationship with God.  While a God who splits seas, speaks out of bushes, and makes elderly women fertile might have sometimes been a bit unbelievable to a questioning teenager, the intricate […]

Inspiration sometimes comes from strange places. The other night I was surfing the web, checking out movie reviews in anticipation of our family’s annual Christmas Eve cinema extravaganza when I stumbled upon an article which contained what I thought was a wise and thoughtful meditation on life. This was especially surprising because it came from […]