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Sharona Margolin Halickman

Jul 6, 2018, 8:37 PM

Guess who was not involved in the sin of the spies?

When we speak about Chet HaMiraglim, the sin of the spies, we mention that Yehoshua and Calev were the only two of the twelve spies who did not bring a false report and they were therefore not punished as...

Michael J. Salamon

Jul 2, 2018, 4:40 PM

Religion and Belonging

A 17-year-old boy, smart, very self-aware and insightful came to see me because his parents thought he was depressed. They are caring, nurturing and concerned parents who will spare no expense for the well-being of their children. The young...

Sharona Margolin Halickman

Jun 27, 2018, 10:31 PM

Do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with God

In the Haftara for Parshat Balak (Micha 5:6-6:8), we read the prophecy of Micha which recalls some of the ways in which God protected B’nai Yisrael during the forty years that they spent in the wilderness. One of the...

Jun 27, 2018, 10:31 AM

Parshat Balak and the Three Weeks

So, here are at the Three Weeks again and soon the nine days again. We go through the motions of mourning and pretending that we miss the Beit Mikdash (and maybe we want the 3rd Temple to restore God’s...

Jun 25, 2018, 12:56 AM

Toward Partnership with the Haredim

We who try to keep our politics separate from religion often treat those who do not do so as adversaries of the public good. Israel’s secular Jewish population is no exception; you do not need to search far to...

Sivan Rahav Meir

Jun 24, 2018, 1:09 PM

Democrats, Lieberman, and the political future

Illustrative: Sen. Joseph Lieberman, left, with Sen. John McCain at the Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany, January 31, 2014. (Joerg Koch/Getty Images via JTA)

The Jewish narrative is far larger than any current enmeshment with the Republican Party

Sharona Margolin Halickman

Jun 22, 2018, 4:28 PM

Moshe’s work is never done

In Parshat Chukat (Bamidbar 20:7-8), God asked Moshe to speak to the rock so that it may bring forth water. However, Moshe hit the rock instead of speaking to it. In verse 12, God said to Moshe and Aharon,...

Jun 21, 2018, 6:04 PM

Soul Doctor Torah – Parshat Chukat

Welcome, once again to the mysteries and depths of our holy Torah: the mysteries of the פרה אדומה Red Heifer, Miriam’s well, the passing on of Aharon HaKohen, the mystery of Moshe Rabbeinu hitting the rock… and there are more and...

Sharona Margolin Halickman

Jun 15, 2018, 12:43 AM

What goes around comes around

The Haftara from Shmuel Alef, 11:14-12:22 is a good match for Parshat Korach for a few reasons. One reason is that both the Torah and Haftara readings deal with leaders who defend themselves using almost the same words. In Parsha Korach,...

Jun 13, 2018, 8:37 AM

The Soul Doctor — The Secret of Kabbalat Shabbat

A Carlebach Kabbalat Shabbat is an upbeat spiritual experience that has revolutionized the way many communities across the world bring in the Shabbat. What can be more natural in today’s busy and connected world than to turn off for...

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