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 ...

I’ve slid back into old habits over the past two weeks. I struggle with obsessive hand and body washing, as a way of coping with past sexual trauma. My body feels polluted and tainted, and I wash it ...

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 ...

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 ...

The central dilemma facing most leaders is rarely what to do. More often, it’s when. Act too quickly, and you’ve responded to the heat of the moment rather than the light of day. Wait too long, and ...

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 ...

As Yom Kippur ended, Jews emerged from their prayers and were confronted with a nightmare: at the Heaton Park Synagogue in Manchester, worshippers were violently attacked. A terrorist drove into them ...