It was a truly fateful day when King Achashverosh couldn’t fall sleep… At the pinnacle of peril in Megillat Esther, the story of Purim, megillah readers briefly switch to the melody of Yom Kippur. Why is this? Rabbi Greenland, International Director of NCSY, explains that by looking at Jewish history not as timeline, but more
Parshat Vayikra opens the third book of Torah by outlining korban, burnt offerings. This week, Rabbi Ari Strulowitz of Midwest NCSY, interprets the wording of the second verse: “a man from AMONG you brings a sacrifice.” While some mitzvot are must-do’s, many others are voluntary, and so perhaps this sacrifice can be considered a voluntary
Rabbi Glenn Black, CEO of Canada NCSY shares a midrash about the Vavim in Parshat Pekudei. The word, translated as hooks, only appears once in the parsha, but is an illustration of what keeps our Jewish communities bound together, which is a guiding principal for NCSYers. To learn more about Canada NCSY, visit: http://canada.ncsy.org Connect
This week’s parsha, Vayakhel, deals with the details of assembling the Mishkan (once again). Rabbi Akiva Naiman, NorCal NCSY and BILT Director, explores how and why the construction of this resting place for G-d, the Tabernacle, is given so much more space in the Torah than the account of Breisheit, the creation of all of
Ari Ziegler, a veteran of JLIC Brooklyn and a Birthright: Israel Free Spirit madrich extraordinaire, examines the leadership that Moses exhibited during the events of the Golden Calf in this week’s parsha, Ki Tisa. During this tricky situation, he must be stern enough to punish them for straying from HaShem but loving enough that they
The robes and vestments of the Kohanim are described in this week’s parsha, Parsha Tetzaveh. Oregon NCSY Director Meira Spivak explains how the most mysterious of these divination tools, the Urim and Thummim, may have functioned and how they can inform our decision-making today. Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/myNCSYAlumni Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ncsyalumni
Shira Neuman, the JLIC educator at University of Maryland Hillel, asks if HaShem is everywhere, why do we have to create specific places for prayer? Ramban has an answer: it all began at Sinai. Do you have a Har Sinai Moment? Share below! Learn more about Shira Neuman and JLIC@Maryland: https://www.facebook.com/JLICAtMaryland Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/myNCSYAlumni
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