Being an Israeli Jew in this moment in time means praying prayers that are thousands of years old, which sound as if they were composed just yesterday. Modeh ani – I thank you God, that I am here, even as I recognize that many of us are no longer here, and can no longer thank […]
This is Our God, “Ein Od”, “There is Nothing Else.” We pray these words in the “Aleinu” prayer in which we declare our loyalty to “Ein Od.” “Efes Zulato- There is nothing but.” We are part of the Holy One, and as a part of God, we must always promote the Truth and repair the […]
Parashat Vayyera ends with the story of the ‘Akedah, the Binding of Isaac, in which—according to the midrash Yalkut Shim‘oni—Avraham fights against the order he had been given and refuses to bind his son for sacrifice, until the Holy One arranges an alternative sacrifice for Avraham to offer up. At that point, Parashat Ḥayyei Sarah […]
Unlike Abraham, who demonstrated initiative, Noah was passive. Noah indeed did as the Eternal commanded him, but no more than that—except for one thing: “And Noah built an altar to YHWH… and he offered up burnt offerings on the altar.” What sacrifice did he offer? Perhaps it was a sin offering, or perhaps a […]
“And YHWH said to Avram, ‘Go forth …!’” Thus begins one of our foundational stories. Where is he to go? To what place? To what country? In that first revelation God asks Avraham to give up everything he had known, everything that was familiar. His home, his household, his extended family. To let go of […]
Timely Witness Rabbi Mijael Even David Rabbi of Masorti (Conservative) Kehillat Eshel Avraham | Beersheva, Israel Those who know me, have known me as a man of peace. For years I have participated in interfaith projects and groups, including with Palestinian clergy. I believe in the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination […]
