…ich is an Italian word that basically means “beanie.” Zucchettos are color-coded skullcaps worn by Catholic clergy: priests wear black, bishops wear purple, cardinals wear red, and the Pope wears white. The Jewish practice of covering the head dates back to ancient times when the kohanim in the Temple wore special headdresses. The morning blessing “oter Yisrael betifara – who crowns Israel with beauty,” was originally said before putting on the tu…
…movement, indeed all of modernity, finding its origins in Biblical times. Today’s Parshat [weekly Torah reading], Ki Tavo, provides our proof text. The very first section of the Parsha contains the declaration known as miqra bikurim, the “Recital of the First Fruits.” As Nehama Leibowitz, of blessed memory, points out in her Studies in Devarim, [t]he Israelite farmer who brings the first fruits of his soil does not say: “My fathers came to the la…
Our choice, Moshe tells us today at the end of Parshat Nitzavim, is between life and death, between the blessing and the curse. Teshuv el Adonai Elohekha — return to the Lord your God — and Hashem will give us abundant food and wealth and children. And if we turn away? Brimstone, salt, burnt earth and death. Again and again, the parsha urges us to return to God and hearken to God’s voice. Two weeks from now, on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, w…
…ting the land in the seventh year, called shmita. Still others speak to us today as Jews and equally as Americans, as modern men and women. These ancient laws direct our behavior. They operate across the full range of our experience, calling on us to achieve the purpose of Torah — Tiqun `Olam, the perfection of the here and now. With my mom’s help [as the reader of the sources], I would like to share some examples of these mitzvot. Although they d…
…endent of their husbands’ control, among other phenomena. All of the major codes of halakha deal with legal principles that jurists apply to this specific type of crime. Among the major sources on this issue are a series of responsa by Rabbi Shlomo ben Avraham Adret (Rashba, c.1235 – c.1310 Barcelona),3 a decree (gezera) by Rabbenu Perez ben ‘Eliyahu (13th century, Corbeil),4 and a pair of responsa by Rabbenu Binyamin ben Matityahu Zev (born c. 15…
…sen at 203.389-2108 or jjtilsen@beki.org for information. UHS Graduation & Promotion The United Hebrew School is concluding another wonderfully successful year of study. The Graduation & Promotion will take place at the Westville Synagogue on Sunday 8 June. Breakfast will be served beginning at 9:30a followed by Graduation and Promotion at 10:30a. All are welcomed to share in this joy. Ramah New England Alumni Sought If you attended Camp Ramah in…
…the blessings would have been for him like in the first lekh lekha as well as for his descendants. I would like to thank everyone for coming to celebrate with me today. I would especially like to thank everyone who helped me prepare for today. Shabbat Shalom! …
…by tradition. For candle lighting times for the New Haven Area, enter ZIP Code 06515 at Candlelighting Times Guide. For candle lighting times and additional time parameters, see MyZmanim for New Haven and adjust elevation to 21 meters where applicable. The bottom left of the screen provides a date menu. For a Hebrew Calendar Add-on with candle lighting times for Mozilla Firefox, see https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1379. Want to kno…
…shul community. I grew up Modern Orthodox, so over time I have learned to “code switch” between being both frum and secular. I live in New Haven now and hope to become a member of one of the teams for Kiddush. If I could find a fellow member who shared a particular hobby or interest, maybe someone who’s artistic; I love seeing plays and I’ve been playing cello since 4th grade. Jonathan Cohen & Shayna Schor and Caleb Listed from tallest to shortest…
…Seligsohn; Mr. & Mrs. Bernard Volain; Mr. & Mrs. Richard Weinstein; Mona Zitomer, in memory of Husband, Joseph Zitomer. In accordance with the agreement establishing this fund, these names are published perpetually, and for that reason are retained in their original form. The Borick Family Endowment for Special Education for Youth The Borick Family Endowment for Special Education for Youth at BEKI was established in 1998 through the generosity of…
