Journalism by Jewish college students, for Jewish college students.
“You shall be holy, for I, the Lord, your God, am holy.” Parashat Kedoshim begins with this powerful command, telling us to be holy because God is holy. It pushes us, giving us an expectation that we just can’t work our way around. We aren’t commanded to be holy because it will extend our lives,…
Last week, the Torah introduced us to the plague of tzarat, a skin disease commonly believed to be punishment for the sin of speaking ill of someone. After introducing it, the Torah continues its discussion of tzarat and its cure in this week’s portion, Parashat Metzora. After discussing the sacrifices necessary, and the process of…
As with much of Leviticus, the material found in this week’s Torah reading, Parashat Tazria, can make us, with our modern sensibilities, squirm a bit. With the description of tzarat, a specific skin disease, the text seems to be stating that any who have strange marks on their skin are sinners who must be isolated…
Throughout the last few weekly readings, things have been going quite well for the Hebrew tribes—nothing bad has really happened and everyone is excited to have the Tabernacle up and running. This week in Parashat Shmini, still on the high of the last few weeks, we move to the last day of sacrifices, with the…
It all started with Chanukkah caroling. Late one night, in the midst of finals week stress, a few male Modern Orthodox University of Pennsylvania students decided to carol some Channukah songs at the doors of their Jewish friends. As they walked down the hallway, snapping their fingers and singing in a loud messy harmony, they…
Last week, God’s Presence entered the Tabernacle, marking its completion as well as the end of the Book of Exodus. In this week’s portion, Vayikra, we open what could be considered the most difficult book of the Torah–Leviticus– with the teaching that the main purpose of the Tabernacle is as a place for sacrifices. Right…
In last week’s Torah portion we were introduced to the future Tabernacle builders: Bezalel, Ohaliab and the wise men . Unfortunately, the construction of the Tabernacle and the Ark of the Covenant was postponed when the Jewish people decided to move drastically off the path, constructing a Golden Calf for worship instead. Moses and the…
“The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” We all have good intentions, yet in the end, whether through procrastination or distraction, we usually fail to accomplish all we had hoped. I’m often saying, “Today, I’m going to start my diet and workout,” but instead find myself forgetting to even do the most basic…
When it comes to tedious Torah portions, this week’s,Terumah, has few equals. It trucks on repetitively as Moses describes for us in intricate detail every step necessary for making the Ark of the Covenant, and then the Mishkan, or the Tent of Meeting where the Ark will be held. Every object that will be kept…
“Sanctuary.” That was the theme the roughly 135 energetic young Jews of all backgrounds and beliefs huddled together in a wallpapered synagogue ballroom on a below-freezing late January night in Brooklyn to hear sermons about. Better, to hear sermons slammed about. SermonSlam is as it sounds: Slam poetry, but for sermons. Each participant gets exactly…
Growing up in the early 2000’s means I watched copious amounts of Arthur, Cyberchase, Pokémon, and Yu-Gi-Oh!; I knew the dance to “Soulja Boy,” played on my Gameboy obsessively, and ate Go-gurts (or the kosher equivalents thereof) on the school bus ride home. Growing up in the 2000’s also meant that I saw men…
In last week’s Torah portion, at Sinai, we accepted the need for a community, and the special place of awe-inspired individuals within such a community. God gave us some basic rules for this community, the 10 Commandments, and everything is finally looking pretty bright for the Jewish people on their journey from Egypt. Even if…
]Often when I read the weekly Torah portion, I find myself struggling over something that I’m usually pretty sure has a simple answer. Sometimes the question might be a little out there too, like when I found myself obsessing over the word “good” in Bereishit, the first chapters of Genesis. This week, in Parshat Yitro,…
“For as you see the Egyptians today, you will no longer see them”. Thus the story of the Jewish people and their struggle with the Egyptians comes to an absolute finale this week. Moses and the people have been sent out of Egypt by Pharaoh only to be followed to the Reed Sea. Even with…
If you’ve been following the story so far, God, through Moses, has been sending plague after plague upon the Egyptians, steadily bringing the greatest empire on Earth to its knees all for the sake of a small nation of slaves. This week, in Parashat Bo, the story is coming toward its great climax, with…