From Judah to Judah Maccabee
It was Matityahu (Mattathias) from the Hasmonaean priestly family who initiated (more…)
Seeing Beyond the Physical with the Chanukah Lights
Here is a guest post from Rivky, one of my young seminary students (more…)
Getting excited about an orange?
We saw some oranges from the supermarket today and I got excited! Really? A couple of oranges?!! What’s so exciting? Well it’s the month of Kislev (December) here in the Galilee and Hanukkah is approaching. So even though the weather is stunningly warm and sunny, and the Kalla lilies are Read more…
Jacob, Esau and Italian Olive Oil Fraud
Most people don’t realize that the twins, Esau and Jacob were born to become twin-leaders of the Nation of Israel. (more…)
Pebbles from the Sea of Galilee
Why is there a custom to leave a small stone at the grave of a loved one when visiting a Jewish cemetery? Throughout the centuries the tradition of leaving a pebble or small stone on the monument or the grave has become part of the act of remembrance. In ancient times Read more…
A Blossom in the Darkness
The Festivals are over and the moon of the month of Tishrei is waning. The days in (more…)
Torah’s 5776 years and Science’s 15.5 Billion years
Here’s one approach to resolving the Biblical and Scientific Ages of the Universe.
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What does it really mean to recite a “blessing?”
Recently I was shopping in Jerusalem at a supermarket and the Land’s bounty on display was overwhelming. What a blessing! Among the huge variety of fruit we found some wonderful “Apple Pears” pictured above. This locally grown Asian fruit is crisp, fresh and sweet with a bit of a tang. Read more…
The Power of Prayer
Did you ever wonder why the enemies of the People of Israel throughout history wanted to deny the Jewish people from praying and worshiping on the Temple Mount? From the Babylonians, Greeks and Romans to today’s Muslims? Watch this 2 minute video by Eli Veffer (my son) and you’ll discover Read more…