By Joy Scott, Am Haskalah Congregant In last week’s Torah Parsha (SHELACH), twelve ‘spies’, after scouting the land of Canaan for forty days, returned with a blatantly exaggerated falsehood, pertaining to the strength and size of the inhabitants. With the exception of Joshua and Caleb, the other ten men rejected the assumption that the people […]
Author: AHWebMaint
A ‘BISSEL’ OF TORAH PARSHA: SHELACH (NUMBERS 13:1-15:41)
By Joy Scott, Am Haskalah Congregant In last week’s Torah Parsha (BEHAALOTECHA), we read about the Israelite’s turbulent saga of disillusionment, with their way of life in the desert. This week’s Parsha (SHELACH) takes a new and momentarily promising turn, with a look towards the future. The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: “Send out men, […]
Am Haskalah Annual Congregational Meeting, June 4, 2017 Past Presidents Speech
RISA DORFMAN This past year has brought us forward in many phases. Our community has joined together to create a stronger, more unified bond, spiritually, religiously and in matters of individual or group assistance. We have forged forward in financial planning and restructuring our basic monthly routines, of course always keeping our Charter and founders’ plans in […]
A ‘BISSEL’ OF TORAH PARSHA: BEHAALOTECHA (NUMBERS 8:1-12:16)
By Joy Scott, Congregant Shortly after a year of being rescued from Egypt, this week’s Torah Parsha (BEHAALOTECHA) provides a glimpse into Moses’ psyche, as well as the state of mind of the Israelites. The Children of Israel have just learned that via God’s instructions to Moses, they will soon be leaving Mount Sinai, to […]
A ‘BISSEL’ OF TORAH PARSHA: NASO (NUMBERS 4:21-7:89) By Joy Scott, Am Haskalah Congregant
This week’s Torah Parsha (NASO) begins with a continuation of last week’s Parsha (BAMIDBAR); completing the census of the Children of Israel, and assigning the intricate details of the tasks to be performed by each individual tribe, in the transporting of the Tabernacle. With 176 verses, NASO is both the longest portion of the Torah, […]
Am Haskalah Shavuot Program
Finding Joy, Connection, and Inspiration in these Troubling Times: A Hebrew Chant and Writing Journey Sunday June 4, 2017 11:00AM-12:30PM Rabbi Malkah Binah Klein (our beloved Am Haskalah spiritual leader from 2002-2009 who now goes by her Hebrew name), has been studying Hebrew chant as a practice for spiritual transformation. Malkah Binah will guide us […]
A BISSEL OF TORAH PARSHA: BAMIDAR (NUMBERS 1:1-4:20)
By Joy Scott, Am Haskalah Congregant Last week’s double Parshiot (BEHAR) and (BECHUKOTAI) comprised the final portions of the Book of Leviticus. We begin the Book of NUMBERS, with plans to dismantle the Tabernacle, and to re-build it further into the wilderness. In the second year of the EXODUS, God spoke to Moses: “Take a […]
A ‘BISSEL’ OF TORAH PARSHA: BEHAR (LEVITICUS 25:1-26:2), BECHUKOTAI (LEVITICUS 26:3-27:34) By Joy Scott, Am Haskalah, Congregant
This week, we read a double Parshiot, from the Torah (BEHAR) and (BECHKOTAI), the finale of the Book of LEVUTICUS. The primary themes of Parsha (BEHAR) are laws and commandments, pertaining to freedom, equality, and charity with ‘dignity’. The Lord spoke to Moses and said: “Tell the Children of Israel, you may sow your field […]
A ‘BISSEL’ OF TORAH PARSHA: ACHAREI MOT (LEVUTICUS 16:1-18:30) By Joy Scott, Am Haskalah Congregant
This week, we continue with the book of Leviticus, with the reading of Parsha (ACHAREI MOT). The primary focus of this Parsha pertains to the ancient rituals of Yom Kippur, the ‘Day of Atonement’. During the period of MISHNAH (i.e. the first major redaction of the Oral Torah) in the second century, the Jewish calendar […]
A ‘BISSEL OF TORAH PARSHA: METZORA (LEVITICUS 14:1-15:33) By Joy Scott, Am Haskalah Congregant
The essence of this week’s Torah Parsha (METZORA) pertains to ritual impurities. There are references to spiritual impurities within a home (detected by the appearance of dark colored patches on its walls); and, impurities engendered by nature of intimate relations between a husband and his wife. However, the predominant theme of Parsha (METZORA) concerns the […]