How to Start Your Own Personal Exodus

By David G. December 20, 2013

Most of us have already seen this week’s Torah portion, Shemot. It’s taken right out of the epic film The Ten Commandments that we all grew up watching over Passover. Oh wait, it’s the other way around. This week’s portion is the opening of the book of Exodus. In it, we learn about Pharaoh being…

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Why not Just Forgive the Bastards?

By David G. December 13, 2013

This week’s Torah portion is one of ends. It’s the end  of Genesis, and along with the end of the first book of the Torah comes the end of Jacob’s life, thus also ending the of the story of our patriarchs. Jacob’s death stands out from the past deaths we have come across. When Abraham…

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Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Iron Fist

By David G. December 6, 2013

Last week at my Torah study group, I had a heated discussion with a peer in which I passionately played devil’s advocate. The two of us began with the topic of whether the Jews have ever violently shoved religion down others’ throats, and it ended with discussions of Zionism and Native Americans. In the middle…

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Keepin’ it Real with the Israel Family

By David G. November 22, 2013

Anyone who has seen the movie Joseph King of Dreams or experienced the musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat will recognize the early scenes of these productions in this week’s Torah portion, Vayeshev. Vayeshev starts with Jacob finally thinking he could take a break, only to have things turn sour for his favored son, Joseph….

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Our Demons are our Angels

By David G. November 15, 2013

In last week’s Torah portion, we saw Jacob confront the twisted future image of himself in the shape of his father-in-law Lavan, coming out of his dealings with the crook as the better man. This week, in Parshat Vayishlach, Jacob confronts his past when he returns to the land of Canaan to find himself immediately…

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