Torah portion Miketz
The Secret Message Lost in Translation While attending the University of Texas in Austin in 1974, I met Rabbi Sholom Ber Alperowitz. This very kind and wise rabbi changed my life. The first Torah lesson I heard from Rabbi Alperowitz was from this week’s Torah portion, Miketz (Genesis 41:
Torah portion Vayeshev
Dreams, False Prophets, and Red Flags In Sigmund Freud’s Interpretation of Dreams (1899), he speaks about the significance of dreams and develops a psychological technique for their analysis and interpretation. I never gave dreams much thought until my grandmother told me her dream about an attic fire and how
Torah portion of Pinchas
Wise Women Who Spoke Out Against Injustice In this week’s Torah portion of Pinchas (Numbers 25:10-30:1), God instructs Moses to divide the Land of Israel among the paternal families of the tribes of Israel. Sensing an injustice that inheritance favors sons, the five daughters of Tzelafchad petition
Torah portion of Korach
The Missionary was Shocked When I Walked on Water The missionary challenged me to explain the miracles attributed to Jesus in the New Testament. First, I questioned the validity of the New Testament stories. Then I explained that although Judaism believes in miracles, we do not rely on them as
Torah portion Shelach
A Large Crowd Surrounded and Closed in on Me At a recent Israel Festival, I was standing in front of the Jews for Judaism booth answering people’s questions. Then it happened. A missionary and his friends challenged my beliefs. They wanted to know how I could get rid of
Torah portion Naso
My Encounter with Bob Marley and the Riots The first Rastafarian I encountered was Bob Marley, and I was mesmerized by his long dreadlocks. As I looked at his picture, my mind wandered to Samson with his long hair. Samson is one of the most well know biblical figures, perhaps
12 This weekend Jews around the world will celebrate the holiday of Shavuos commemorating the giving of the Torah. It is customary to learn Torah insights to enhance our appreciation of the wisdom of Judaism and how it is relevant to our lives. While Jews are celebrating, unscrupulous missionaries are
Torah portion Bamidbar
Israel is Ground Zero for missionary activity targeting Jews for conversion; no wonder they are broadcasting the Gospel into Israeli homes on Israeli cable TV. On a trip to Israel, my wife and I rented an apartment in Jerusalem. One evening we took a walk and encountered an Israeli who
Torah Reading Behar-Bechukosai
Before the internet, missionaries shared their message predominantly on street corners and public places. Years ago, I went to the Hollywood Bowl to hear violinist Itzhak Perlman and encountered a Jew for Jesus handing out literature. I stopped for a few minutes to engage her in conversation. When someone screamed
Torah portion Vayishlach
Eye-Opening Debate in Jerusalem Not long ago, I befriended Mark, a young Jewish college student who was influenced by his roommate to convert to Christianity. Together they attended Christian rock concerts and Bible studies. Without a strong foundation in Judaism, Mark was swayed by the biblical “proof-texts” that a Christian
Acharei Mos
She Went to Pray and Ended Up Crying Although her highly educated parents were secular, Karen always knew she was Jewish. Growing up in Brooklyn, it seemed like everyone was. An uncomfortable experience with an overzealous religious Jew shattered any thoughts of exploring her religious heritage. However, a chance encounter
Tazria-Metzora
Heartwarming stories have surfaced during the current pandemic. Salutes to first responders and volunteers providing medical aid and food to those in need have touched my heart. There is also a flip side. Price gauging, fights, and racist rants reveal an ugly side of our society. A valuable lesson in
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