One of the first lessons appears at the beginning of Parsha Chukat with the passing of Miriam. The Torah records her death with remarkable brevity. After decades of leadership, courage, and devotion ...

Mother and daughter stood next to one another at the bimah as part of a jubilant bat mitzvah ceremony. Then, one of them took a deep breath and began to recite verses from that week’s Torah portion.

(JTA) — Throughout President Joe Biden’s visit to Jerusalem this week, he has underscored the ways that he believes the United States and Israel are aligned. But in his remarks Thursday afternoon ...

Many of us find it hard to relate to the Torah portion of Vayikra. It focuses on a practice that is no longer in use today. We learn of various types of sacrifices and how they were to be fulfilled on ...

The following are some reflections on various essential pieces of “wisdom literature” found in a portion of the Talmud called the “Ethics of the Fathers” (“Pirke Avot”). “Accept a Torah teacher upon ...

After repeatedly denouncing and prohibiting the creation of statues, portrayals of the human form, or anything resembling idols—on pain of death—God issues an unusual command. In the construction of ...

As Jewish communities gather to celebrate the Purim holiday under the shadow of a global pandemic, it is worth heeding a piece of wisdom embedded in one of the scriptures most closely associated with ...

This week’s Torah portion is Vayera: Genesis 18:1 – 22:24 The first Shabbat after daylight standard time always comes as a shock to the system, despite the fact that it occurs every year. Preparing to ...

The bar in Odessa, Ukraine faces big challenges ahead, but founder David Roitman felt moved to open it out of a sense of communal responsibility. ODESSA, Ukraine (JTA) — As an Orthodox Jew, Aryeh Rov ...

Shavuos is often associated with cheesecake, flowers, and late-night Torah learning as we commemorate the giving of the Torah at Har Sinai. Yet, the themes woven throughout the chag also offer a ...