Rabbi Eytan Kenter of Kehillat Beth Israel in Ottawa was born and raised in Westchester, NY. As an undergraduate in the joint program with the Jewish Theological Seminary and Columbia University, Kenter majored in American Studies and Midrash. In 2006, he graduated from the Davidson School of Jewish Education with honors in the informal/communal education program.
This week’s Torah Portion – Parashat Shoftim (Deuteronomy 16:18-21:9) – begins with instructions concerning the appointment of judges and law enforcement officers. Moses commands the people of Israel to pursue justice and to avoid corruption and favoritism. The portion also includes prohibitions of sorcery and idolatry; rules concerning the appointment and the behavior of kings; and many laws of war, including the demand to offer terms of peace before going to war.
Previous Torah Talks on Shoftim
