elul
King David’s Lesson in Faith
By Chaim Barzel The late Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, former Chief Rabbi of the British Commonwealth, told the following story: “It happened in one synagogue in London that the chazzan (cantor) on Shemini Atzeret (Eight Day of Assembly)...
The Unlikely Connection Between a Captive Woman and the Hebrew Month of Elul
By Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz Dani is a member of our small synagogue and every Shabbat, when we gather together after morning prayers, he jumps up and gives a speech on the weekly Torah portion. It isn’t nice to say, but his speeches drive...
The Month of Return
By Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz Anticipation and preparation are two words I have always had difficulty with. In Yeshiva (Jewish school for Torah learning), my rabbi called me "do-ish." I have a tendency to jump right in and figure things out...