Many modern day purim spiels present the story of Esther as an ancient Persian version of the TV show “The Bachelor” where scores of women compete to win a marriage proposal from an eligible, handsome, young bachelor – going on scads of fancy dates and romantic excursions while he presents roses to the contests as … Continue reading Winner of the Persian Bachelor?
The book of Ester is a small book, a mere ten chapters. Most of us can relate the main events by heart. We imagine ourselves as Queen Ester, convinced we share her courage and faith. Do we? In our fast food immediate gratification mindset, we can quickly lose our resolve. We get anxious when we … Continue reading For Such A (Long) Time As This by Roni Bernstein
Last night was the first night of Chanukah and Jewish people around the world lit the first candles in their menorahs. We cannot say exactly when the tradition of lighting a menorah at Chanukah started, but the holiday itself was instituted by the Maccabees in 138 BCE and is referenced in many ancient writings. It … Continue reading The Tradition of Chanukah by Jennifer Caracelo
With Hanukkah approaching, there is a divine reality constantly present in our pondering within the Jewish world–– miracles. This world has limitations, or at least perceived limitations. When we look at the world around us, things often seem so overwhelmingly impossible. We loose sight of the divine reality that our God is so much bigger. … Continue reading Miracle of Miracles by Danielle Tokajer
Our journey through Psalm 27 ends with this charge - to wait for the Lord - followed by a plea to endure and not become disheartened. These are some of the most encouraging and convicting words in the Bible. Even as God is telling us to be strong and take heart, he reminds us that … Continue reading Psalm 27
“Simchat Torah....Wow, another holiday? Didn’t we just finish the two main ones? Plus, we ate a few meals in our sukkah. We are doing pretty good on the holiday scale – right?” Okay, similar thoughts have probably entered our minds once or twice (or maybe more). During the fall, we practically take up residence at … Continue reading The Torah is Kind of a Big Deal by Hannah Mann
Neshama Women 