Rabbi Donsky’s Column
Hevre, While I am away in Philadelphia at my second residency for the Jewish Spiritual Direction program, Moreh Derekh, that I am participating in this year and next, I want to share with you an important message from Ms. Anat Hoffman, Executive Director, of the Israeli Religious Action Center. Ms. Hoffman has been actively involved [...]
Rabbi Donsky’s Column
“There’s an App for that!” Hevre, Tomorrow night, May 14th, at 7 PM, we, as a community, receive the Torah anew from Sinai! Each year since our sages turned Shavuot into the day of the Giving and Receiving Torah and not just an agricultural festival, we have symbolically re-enacted that unique life affirming and life [...]
Rabbi Donsky’s column
Hevre, Do Jews believe in angels (mal’a’khim/Divine Messengers)? Well, this coming Saturday evening at the Night of the Races, May 4th, I sure hope so! I’ve got 4 horses running named after 4 of the “mal’a’khim” of our rabbinic tradition, Ra’fa’el (Healer of God), Gav’ri’el (Strength of God), Uri’el (My Light of God), Me’kha’el (Who [...]
Rabbi Donsky’s Column
Hevre, This week’s Torah portions (a double portion) Aharei Mot – Kedoshim (Leviticus 16:1 – 20:27) contains the central, well-known section of Leviticus 19 – the Holiness Code. Holiness, “kedusha”, is not just a Jewish value, of course, the Jewish twist here has the added concept of being “set apart and elevated.” Whether its by [...]
Rabbi Donsky’s column – April 8
Hevre, As I wing my way to Peru today to visit my daughter, Aliyah, who is spending a year living abroad immersed in Peruvian culture and Spanish language, I thought that I would share with you some wonderful opportunities that are available for immersion in adult Jewish spiritual traditions this coming June, July and August. [...]
Rabbi Donsky’s column
Hevre, As our celebration of Pesakh concludes, the weeks ahead are filled with several more special observances, Yom haShoah, Holocaust Memorial Day, Yom haAtzmaut, Israel Independence Day and then the Festival of Shavuot (Weeks). This is the day upon which our rabbis, years later, set for Mattan Torah, the Day for the Giving and Receiving [...]
Abby Adelman’s Bat Mitzvah Project
For my bat mitzvah project I have chosen to organize a team for Susan G. Komen Race For The Cure. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation today in support of my fundraising efforts. I chose this organization because two of my great grandmothers were diagnosed with breast cancer and one of them died from it. [...]
Rabbi Donsky’s Column – March 31
Hevre, We begin our beloved celebration of Pesakh, Passover, tonight, families around the world will sing, chant, read, dramatize, and more the precious words of the Haggadah. For many years now a variety of Jewish organizations and groups have offered supplements, now simple downloads, that may add to the Seder experience. Certainly with the hope [...]
Rabbi Donsky’s column
Hevre, A quick reminder that this coming Friday evening March 22nd, Danielle Kranjec, AJL Adult Education Coordinator and scholar of Medieval Hebrew Poetry will join us as a Scholar-in-Residence. Her topic: “The Feminine Aspect of the Divine in Kabbalistic Poetry.” Danielle and I have taught together in the Melton program and she has also substituted [...]
Rabbi Donsky’s Column
Great Passover Recipes Hevre, With Passover soon approaching (don’t miss the workshop this coming Sunday, March 17th at 10:45 PM about how to lead a creative seder) sometimes if I reflect deeply I can almost smell my grandmother’s and mother’s Passover smells. What great memories and what great tastes!!! Yes, for those who want to [...]
