Abraham: the First Jew

Book review by Dr Anne Sarzin Read more

Upholding the values that define us as a people

Ambassador Ronald S. Lauder, the president of the World Jewish Congress, is demonstrating both courage and integrity in urging the leaders of the State of Israel to adhere to “the vision that Theodor Herzl or the founders of Israel had for the state — a vision rooted in safety, democracy and moral purpose for all its citizens.” Read more

Curses – ancient and modern

It is amazing how very often the weekly Torah portion that we read in Synagogues on Shabbat contains startling messages so highly relevant to our current situation. Read more

“I’m That Jew” creator Eitan Chitayat: “We need to be visible, not just proud”

In an exclusive interview with J-Wire on the eve of his visit to Australia, Israeli branding expert and Jewish identity advocate Eitan Chitayat offers a compelling call to action: Jewish people must be visible, not just proud.

Read more

Torah among sacred texts set for destruction by NZ National Library

The New Zealand National Library is under fire after it was revealed that more than 500,000 books — including religious texts such as the Torah, the Bible, and the Quran — are marked for destruction as part of a controversial cost-saving initiative. Read more

“Don’t Just Be Jewish; Do Jewish”: Zack Bodner’s Bold Blueprint for the 21st Century

In an exclusive interview with J-Wire ahead of his visit to Australia for the Sydney Jewish Writers’ Festival, Zack Bodner speaks not just as an author, but as a man deeply embedded in the frontlines of Jewish life. “Judaism isn’t just what you believe; it’s what you do,” he says. “And that doing is how we build a bold Jewish future.”

Read more

Shabbat Vayigash

Politics
Read more

Shabbat Mikeytz: Dreams

Dreams play a very important part in the biblical narrative. Read more

Shabbat Eykev Do as you would be done by

The weekly reading of Eykev follows the pattern of the previous three weeks. Read more

Shabbat Balak – Listening to Magicians

It seems strange that the whole part of the Torah we read this week should be named after a Midianite/Moabite King, Balak, and devoted to a non-Jewish magician Bilam. Read more

Shabbat Chukat: The Unknowable

There are various words for law in the Bible. Read more

The Evolution of Shavuot

Shavuot, more than any other festival, illustrates the ongoing way in which a Biblical festival and, indeed, many Biblical laws have evolved in unusual, unpredictable ways. It reinforces the reality (much disputed) that Jewish Law and custom are constantly renewing, evolving and changing. Read more

Shabbat Metzora – Shabbat HaGadol:  Elijah

“Behold I will send you Elijah (Eliyahu) the prophet before the great awesome Day of God and he will reconcile fathers to children and children to fathers” (Malachi 3:24). Read more

Shabbat Bo: Lessons from the Exodus

There are two themes amongst the many in this week’s Torah that stand out as being particularly relevant at this moment in time. Read more

Shabbat Shemot: Knowing, Forgetting, remembering

A new king arose who did not know of Joseph (Exodus 1.8). Read more

Doing good deeds or praying – which is more important?

Ask the rabbi. Read more

Any problem for a Jew wishing a Christian “Merry Xmas”?

Ask the rabbi. Read more

Shabbat Mikeytz: End of Days

This week’s Torah reading starts when Joseph had been in jail for a crime he had not committed. Read more

Shabbat Vayeytzey: Initiative

Read more

Shabbat Toldot: Esau or Ishmael

Last week, we read about how Isaac and Ishmael came together to bury their father. And in fact, they lived together at the same place, Be’er Lechai Roi. Their coming together seems to have been complete. Read more

Does Judaism have a problem with people being ambitious?

Ask the rabbi. Read more

Shabbat Lech Lecha: Bad people and good

We are living under conditions that remind us of how much we Jews can be hated and to what extremes our enemies can go in order to express such hatred. Read more

Once a Jew, always a Jew?

Ask the Rabbi Read more

Yom Kippur thoughts

Rabbi Raymond Apple shares his thoughts. Read more

Teshuvah is for everyone

No moment in Jewish history was as breathtaking as the revelation at Sinai. Read more

Shabbat Ki Tavo: The Land of Israel

“When you enter the land that your God is giving you as a heritage, and you possess it and settle in it, you shall take the first fruit of the soil, which you harvest from the land that your God giving you, and put them in a basket and go to the place that God chooses and to the priest in charge at that time and say to him, “I acknowledge this day before your God that I have entered the land that swore to our fathers to assign us.” ( Deuteronomy 26:1-2). Read more

Synagogue or Temple

This month of August is the season of travelling, going on vacation in the northern hemisphere. Read more

Is the Messiah simply a nice dream or will it really happen?

Ask the rabbi. Read more

Sadness and Joy

Tisha B’Av, the 9th day of Av, reminds us of the greatest catastrophes in our history. Read more

What is one to make of Albert Einstein’s statement that “The Jewish God is simply a negation of superstition”?

Ask the rabbi. Read more

Next Page »