It is Jewish custom to read Psalm 27 from the start of Elul all the way through Sukkot, every day, every year, the same 14 verses, the same 149 Hebrew…
Dear Rabbi,I recently received a mailing from a major local Jewish organization that spoke about the “mitzvah of tikkun olam” which is manifest in performing acts of social justice. In…
This week, I’m thinking aloud about what we’re all experiencing now. I’m solidly in the middle of my 80s, and in all those years have seen and lived through much,…
Efrat, Israel — The biblical source for thanking the Almighty for our worldly gifts is to be found in this week’s portion, Ekev. And if preparation of our meals takes…
With presidential debates just around the corner, one of the many current issues trailing closely behind the pandemic crisis will most probably be future reparations for African Americans.Given the horrific…
Something happened that has never happened to me before. I witnessed a small miracle. I’m a relatively new hospice chaplain. Hospice of course is an approach to caring for individuals…
Dear Rabbi Fried,Concerning your recent column concerning tattoos, I would like to raise the following point:(Artscroll Leviticus 19:28), “You shall not make in your flesh a scratch over a soul,…
As a columnist, I delight in hearing from readers. Written notes, phone calls, emails — whatever; positive or negative responses to what I’ve already written, or suggestions for what I…
Here in Israel we are blessed with a strong civil society that keeps our democratic institutions accountable to the people. Our political parties, over a dozen of which are currently…
Perhaps the most fundamental and pervading principle in the Torah — the core of Jewish faith — is the idea of internalizing God’s unparalleled unity.We have a mitzvah to declare…