I can imagine Jacob justifiably bemoaning his fate as he trudges toward Paddam Aram. Jacob was the one, the Bible tells us, who was...

We must give up either Divine power or Divine goodness.

For our Thanksgiving to do its redemptive work, we must tell the stories that are truly worthy of real gratitude: stories in which we can all see ourselves and hear our voices in all their divergences and disparities, stories too nuanced and complex to be told only once.

One verse, five voices. Edited by Salvador Litvak, the Accidental Talmudist And an angel of God said to me in a dream, 'Jacob!' And I...

We mourn the untimely death, on Nov 20th, of our beloved friend, teacher and colleague, Dr. Sharon Gillerman, scholar of modern European Jewish history...

One verse, five voices. Edited by Salvador Litvak, the Accidental Talmudist And the Lord said to her, "Two nations are in your womb, and two...

My mom and I began to discuss Thanksgiving, a favorite holiday among the Guzik family. Usually, the dining room is bursting with relatives, new...

As I have watched the election unfold, I have done exactly what I vowed not to do: scroll through Facebook and Instagram. And while...

Edited by Salvador Litvak, the Accidental Talmudist And they summoned Rebecca, and they said to her, "Will you go with this man?" And she said,...

To what extent is Tikkun Olam — fixing the world — at the heart of Judaism’s purpose? This question has been part of a...

I have, consciously and intentionally (and to the dismay of some of my friends and congregants), kept my Facebook page, and certainly my position...

Edited by Salvador Litvak, the Accidental Talmudist The LORD appeared to by the terebinths of Mamre; he was sitting at the entrance of the...

Pauline Abrahams died Oct. 20 at 83. Survived by daughter Lynne; sons Keith, Mark, Alan; brothers Clive, Marc. Hillside Janet Arenberg died Oct. 21 at...

In 2011, Rabbi Daniel Medwin had an idea to digitize prayerbooks and project them onto a screen using a PowerPoint slideshow format. He never...

Edited by Salvador Litvak, the Accidental Talmudist I will not take so much as a thread or a sandal strap from what is yours, so...

Edited by Salvador Litvak, the Accidental Talmudist And I will establish My covenant with you, and you shall enter the ark, with your sons, your...

A dear congregant gifted me a beautiful memoir about her father growing up in Poland during the Shoah. Prior to the onset of the...

One of the most influential and challenging social theories of the early twenty-first century has been the idea of intersectionality. As defined by the...

Our family members went around the table to discuss their favorite Jewish holidays. I love Sukkot. Our older children gave solid explanations for Hanukkah...

The reason we read the Torah anew each year is not because the Torah changes, but because we do.

One verse, five voices. Edited by Salvador Litvak, the Accidental Talmudist When God began to create heaven and earth — the earth being astonishingly empty,...

Eugene W. Berk died Sept. 25 at 90. Survived by nieces Pam, Karen; nephews Damian, Scott. Neptune Society William Bernstein died Oct. 7 at 87. Survived by...

Discussions on safety, security, white supremacy and allyship were at the forefront of the second annual Heschel/King Forum put on by the Black/Jewish Justice Alliance (BJJA) on Oct. 8.

My husband, Rabbi Erez Sherman, and I developed a new routine upon entering and sitting in our sukkah. We look around, sideways and, eventually,...

Years ago, we inherited a beautiful sukkah from our good friends Cantor Arianne Brown and Rabbi Randall Brown. Next, we shared the sukkah with...

One verse, five voices. Edited by Salvador Litvak, the Accidental Talmudist A parable: There was a king of flesh and blood who said to his...

We now arrive at the apex of Jewish practice — a rich and beautiful theater of the absurd. This Simchat Torah, a Jew will...

With this state of high anxiety sure to rise even further in the coming weeks and months, how can we keep our balance and sanity in the midst of the storm?

In speaking about relationships, my professor remarked, “With every first hello, there is an impending goodbye.” Meaning that with each birth, new connection, endeavor...

One verse, five voices. Edited by Salvador Litvak, the Accidental Talmudist The Sages taught: All seven days of Sukkot, a person renders his sukka his...