Rosh Hashanah -  Shabbat Shuvah Delivering an Irrefutable Refutation Rosh Hashanah is more than the Jewish New Year; it is the time to acknowledge that God is our King and to reaffirm our commitment to our Jewish heritage. Although the sounding of the shofar is reminiscent of the pomp and circumstance of a royal coronation, there is a deeper and more profound spiritual meaning. Our sages explain that the shofar blasts are a wake-up call to our soul to return to God with sincerity. Furthermo

The Secret To Receiving God’s Blessings The final two portions of the Torah, Haazinu and Vezos Haberachah (Deuteronomy 32:1-34:12), contain a song and a blessing. In the song, Moses urges the Jewish people to reflect on their past and to remember that God guarantees Israel’s survival. Furthermore, despite the many challenges Israel will endure, the Jewish people will witness the downfall of their enemies. In retrospect, we can see how true these words are. Although the Jewish people suffered

Unraveling the Circumcision Mystery Today, both Jews and Muslims practice circumcision and see it as a confirmation of their faith in God. Even more so, Jews recognize circumcision as a sign of an everlasting covenant with God. In this week’s Torah portion, Vayera (Genesis 18:1–22:24), “Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him” (Genesis 21:4). Considering circumcision’s significance as “an everlasting covenant” (Genesis 17:13) with God, it is myst

World Peace Is in Our Hands While attending high school, I was not overly concerned about world events, except for the Vietnam War. My fellow students and I worried about being drafted into the military and fighting in a faraway war we didn’t understand. I didn’t participate in anti-war protests, but I did create an art project that expressed my feelings and hopes for peace. I carved a sign out of wood that depicted the transformation of war into peace by removing the letter “a” from the word

We Won’t Use DNA to Identify the Messiah In 1975, two New York inventors bonded liquid crystals with quartz stones and set them into rings. The “mood ring” became a fad; it was thought to change color based on the wearer’s mood. In reality, the rings were reacting to changes in body temperature. There are, however, scientifically proven methods to read someone’s mood and uncover hidden secrets. The FBI, for example, trains its agents to observe facial micro-expressions to determine emotions s

Truth Topples “Replacement Theology” The missionary screamed, “Your Torah is outdated and obsolete since your Temple was destroyed by the Romans and you can no longer offer sacrifices to God.” This antisemitic accusation has been repeated for centuries by missionaries bent on delegitimizing Judaism and converting Jews to Christianity. Their argument is a part of “replacement theology,” which asserts that the New Covenant through Jesus has superseded or replaced the Mosaic covenant. This abhor

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Words Can Be Forgiven But Not Forgotten Words have the capacity to create, inspire, and educate. However, psychologists note that words can also cause emotional pain. Recipients of inappropriate comments may experience embarrassment, rejection, and acute trauma that can result in suicidal thoughts. This is especially troubling in a digital age when it is easy to post hurtful comments and difficult to retract them. As the saying goes, “Words can be forgiven but not forgotten.” The influence w