Apr
21
April, 21st 2023
Dear Hebrew Academy Community: This Shabbat marks the conclusion of the third of the seven weeks of the Sefirat HaOmer period. Besides performing the Mitzvah of counting Sefira each night we observe…
Mar
31
March, 31st 2023
As we come close to concluding the process of searching for and destroying every bit of Chametz in our homes it seems appropriate to ask a simple question: Why does God seem to have such an aversion…
Mar
24
March, 24th 2023
An interesting conflict broke out within the Kehila, the autonomous governing body of the Jewish community, in a town in Moravia—present-day Czech Republic-- about 350 years ago. It seems that after…
Mar
17
March, 17th 2023
Throughout Vayakhel and Pekudai, the two Parshiyot which describe the construction of the Mishkan we are told again, and again, and again that each piece was constructed “as Hashem commanded” or…
Mar
10
March, 10th 2023
This Shabbat we read Parashat Parah, a description of the preparation of the Parah Adumah which was needed to purify those who had become ritually impure so that they could participate in the Mitzvah…
Mar
3
March, 3rd 2023
Dear Hebrew Academy Community: If there were one line in the Talmud which most Jewish educators would love to remove it would be the all-too-well-known חייב איניש לבסומי בפוריא עד דלא ידע בין ארור המן…
Feb
24
February, 24th 2023
This week our Middle School students participated in our annual weeklong Minimester Program. Students were immersed in out-of-the-box courses which allowed their learning to expand outside the four…
Feb
24
February, 24th 2023
Dear Hebrew Academy Community: Parashat Terumah begins with Kadosh Barukh Hu’s command: V’Asu Li Mikdash, V’Shakhanti B’Tocham—They are to make a Mikdash for me and I will dwell in their midst.”…
Feb
17
February, 17th 2023
Dear Hebrew Academy Community: The literal meaning of the words of a Pasuk in Mishpatim is quite simple but the proper translation has been debated for millennia: ויקח ספר הברית ויקרא באזני העם,…
Feb
10
February, 10th 2023
Dear Hebrew Academy Community: Isn’t it interesting that the Parasha which includes the Revelation at Sinai is named after Yitro who, according the Midrash, “had worshipped every form of idolatry…