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 […]

This week we read in Exodus the Torah parsha Mishpatim. Mishpatim, the Hebrew word for “laws”, contains many laws addressing Hebrew slaves, homicide, assault, homicidal animals, theft, seduction, sorcery, and more. At the end of this parsha, Moses repeats the commandments to the people as laid out by Gd, and the people respond, “All the […]

By Janine Jankovitz Pastor Dear Congregants, In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I want to share with you the experience I had marching for justice this past Monday in Philadelphia in honor of Dr. King’s legacy. On Monday I joined hundreds of people in Philadelphia for the “March for a Better America” march […]

By Angela Zanelli, friend of Am Haskalah For the last few years, I have had the pleasure of writing a Chanukah article for a magazine. I like to focus on the concept of light and different ways that we can bring more light into the world, both literal and symbolic. Lighting candles, smiling at a […]

AH Summer Fall Newsletter 5776

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 […]

by Student Rabbi Shelley Goldman The Talmud teaches, “One who wishes to acquire wisdom should study the way money works, for there is no greater area of Torah study than this. It is like an ever flowing stream…”  I thought of this wisdom after reading this week’s Torah portion, Tazria[1], and reflecting on the themes […]

Our Torah portion begins with the following words: “God spoke to Moses, saying: Command Aaron and his sons thus: This is the ritual of the burnt offering…” (Leviticus 6:1-2a.)  In Hebrew the final phrase is, “Zot Torat HaOlah.”  Is there a word in this phrase that sounds familiar to you?  “Torat?”  What does the word […]

By Joy Scott, Am Haskalah Congregant This week’s Torah Parsha (VAYIKRA) is the first Parsha in the book of LEVITICUS, a section of the Torah, which most rabbinical students ‘love to hate’. We just completed reading the thrilling and dramatic story of the book of EXODUS, which captivated our imagination like an award winning action […]