A verse in this week’s parsha, Mishpatim, echoes the spirit of the famous phrase from Hillel in Pirkei Avot. Scott Shulman, the Program Director for Israel Free Spirit, the OU’s Birthright trip provider, examines the faith the Israelites demonstrated to do and obey HaShem’s Commandments. Learn more about Israel Free Spirit, a Taglit-Birthright trip provider:
A question posed about 100 years ago to a Rabbi by Jews living in Buenos Aires is the topic this week. Rabbi Mordechai Torczyner, Rosh Beit Midrash of YU Zichron Dov in Toronto, explains why we celebrate Tu BiShevat, the so-called Birthday of the Trees, halfway into the month of Shevat to coincide with the
“Noseh Be’ol im Chavayro” — help to carry a friend’s burden. What does this quote from the gemara mean to you? Rabbi Michael Rovinsky, City Director of St. Louis NCSY, provides two stories, a midrash on this week’s parsha, and an anecdote from the life of the Baruch Taam as he tried to make a
Mordi Spero, an NCSY Adviser for the Greater Washington Chapter, discusses the Israelites’ faith in Moses and how it connects to crossing Niagara Falls. Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/myNCSYAlumni Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ncsyalumni
Ari Hoffman, the Director of Seattle NCSY, presents a logical unfolding of The The Plagues that afflicted the Egyptians as well as how HaShem’s promise to lead the Israelites out of Egypt is a foretelling of something even greater. Also, ‘The Hoffather explains why Seattle is such a great place for young Jewish professionals to
In Parsha Vayechi, Jacob, soon to die in Egypt, blesses Joseph’s two sons, Ephraim and Menashe, and asks to be buried in the the land G-d promised to Abraham. However, an action he takes prevents the kind of bad blood that had dogged the family for generations.
By this week’s parsha, Joseph has been through the emotional ringer: from his brothers selling him into slavery, to his meteoric rise in Egypt. Yardenna Bannett, NJ NCSY Senior Specialist, describes the emotional reunion between Joseph and his father Jacob this week. Jacob collapses and says the Shema, but what does this central prayer mean
Rabbi Greenberg, the JLIC educator for campuses in Greater Toronto, asks how Jacob could live through the pain of losing his son Joseph and how we too can keep a glimmer of hope even in the darkest times.