Welcome to Shabbat Awakenings! What if, when reading the Torah, we don’t begin at the moment of creation but go right to the Torah’s heart, to its very center? Where would we be? We would arrive to Leviticus 19:18:  Love your neighbor as yourself. It is in this week’s Torah portion, Kedoshim. In the Talmud […]

  Welcome to Shabbat Awakenings, a weekly reflection as we move toward Shabbat. This week, we marked Israel Memorial Day followed by Israel Independence Day. Though we may not commemorate and celebrate as they do in Israel, the days still deserve our attention. They also serve as a reminder of one of life’s truths:  the […]

  Welcome to Shabbat Awakenings, a weekly reflection as we make our way toward Shabbat. “The first bite is the banquet.” Such is the wisdom of Michael Pollan. Jewish tradition offers it another way in this week’s Torah portion, Shemini: These are the instructions concerning animals, birds, all living creatures that move in water, and […]

  Welcome to Shabbat Awakenings, a weekly reflection as we move toward Shabbat. Last week at this time, we were preparing to retell the story of the Exodus from Egypt. This week, on this Shabbat, a path of freedom opens before us. Last week we gathered around Seder tables to use symbols to experience the […]