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Parsha TERUMAH

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Leonard Grunstein

Feb 23, 2018, 7:58 AM

Knock, Knock — The Divine Presence Can Be Found in the Home

Does G-d need the Tabernacle or the Temple to live in and is that where G-d can be found? Isn’t G-d everywhere? Why then all this focus on the construction of the Tabernacle in last week’s Torah reading of...

William Hamilton

Feb 16, 2018, 11:27 PM

Which thoughts and prayers?

A story for President’s weekend. Prior to the election of 1860, an unknown stranger came upon an Texas plantation. The plantation owner took him in as a guest. The stranger paid close attention to how the slaves were treated, how they were...

Feb 15, 2018, 7:16 PM

The IKEA effect: Why we value what we make

Illustration of the Ark at the erection of the Tabernacle and the sacred vessels, as in Exodus 40:17-19, from 1728. (Gerard Hoet and others, published by P. de Hondt in The Hague/ Wikipedia)

The Tabernacle... the Sabbath...God gave the Jewish people room to create, which changed them for the better (Terumah)

Feb 15, 2018, 12:49 PM

Who are the true guardians of Judaism? [Parshat Terumah]

Concerning the construction of the Holy Ark and the cherubs, two technical textual questions are raised by the Midrash and many biblical commentaries. First of all, throughout our Torah portion, Terumah, the various parts of the Sanctuary are commanded...

Feb 15, 2018, 12:45 PM

‘Rewriting Tradition’ Parashat Teruma 5778

The Rambam enumerates 13 articles of faith upon which Judaism stands. The eighth article states that we believe with perfect faith that our Torah scrolls today contain the exact same words that Hashem gave to Moshe at Sinai more...

Feb 14, 2018, 5:51 PM

An Israeli in Krakow

Sara Zielinski, with her mother Elizabeth, center, and a volunteer at a pre-Shabbat program at the Jewish Community Center of Krakow. Sara is part of the inaugural class of Frajda, the first pluralistic Jewish nursery and preschool in Krakow since World War II. (Courtesy of Jewish Community Center of Krakow/via JTA)

We Jews can lie low, or we can stand up and work to resolve the crisis between Israel and Poland

Ben-Tzion Spitz

Feb 13, 2018, 6:12 PM

Trumah: The Price of Laziness

A lazy person, whatever the talents with which he set out, will have condemned himself to second-hand thoughts and to second-rate friends. -- Cyril Connolly Moses calls upon the nation of Israel to donate material for the construction of the...

Feb 12, 2018, 11:07 PM

Parshat Terumah: The original ‘e pluribus unum’

Parshat Terumah: The original ‘e pluribus unum’ Parshat Terumah deals with the process of collecting the voluntary contributions of materials needed for the construction of the Mishkan (Tabernacle) and the fashioning of its furnishings and implements. The way the Torah deploys...

Ariel Ben Avraham

Feb 11, 2018, 8:22 PM

Parshat Terumah: Our bond with the Creator

We mention often that in order to relate with someone or something, we must have a common trait or quality that make possible such relationship. In other words, there must be something that binds both parts, particularly when their...

Mar 4, 2017, 8:59 AM

Terumah: The gift that can’t be translated between Palestinians and Jews

This week’s Torah portion, which my talk is built around, is called Terumah. Terumah begins in a setting that’s dramatic, even for the Bible -- Moses ascends Mount Sinai, in full sight of the Israelites, to all of whom the...

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