Author Archives: alreguelajat

From the beginning of Rabbinic Judaism until the mid-20th century, all rabbis had been men. This changed with the arrival of liberal movements, which began ordaining women rabbis institutionally since 1972, when the first female Reform rabbi was ordained. Reconstructionist … Seguir leyendo →

The Torah is very clear in its prohibition against eating chametz or mixtures containing chametz, against possessing chametz in our homes, and against removing chametz from our homes during the celebration of the Passover holiday. This is stated in several … Seguir leyendo →

Regina Jonas was born in Berlin in 1902. Her father, a merchant, was probably her first teacher. Her passion for Jewish history, the Bible, and Hebrew was evident from high school, where her classmates remember her talking about becoming a … Seguir leyendo →

In Parasha Beshalach, the Torah tells us that when the Israelites finally reached the Red Sea, they realized that Pharaoh and his army were pursuing them. They were trapped between Pharaoh’s army and the sea. But God told Moses to … Seguir leyendo →

Hanukkah is the Jewish festival that originally commemorated the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem in 165 BCE, during the Maccabean Revolt against the Greek Seleucid Empire. Chapter 4 of the First Book of Maccabees, which was not included in … Seguir leyendo →

The origin of Modern Orthodox Judaism lies in late 18th and early 19th century Germany, where a group of traditional Jews, who accepted some of the new values ​​of the Enlightenment, defended the classical interpretation of Judaism. Their leaders had … Seguir leyendo →

Haredi Judaism is a branch of Orthodox Judaism that broke away from modern secular culture. It emerged as one of the responses to the changes that the modern era imposed on Jews. The Haredim have maintained strict adherence to Jewish … Seguir leyendo →

The Jewish Enlightenment, the Haskala, from the late 18th to the early 20th century, was the catalyst for a wide range of religious, cultural, and political movements. These initially developed in Europe, then migrated to the United States, and then … Seguir leyendo →

There is no commandment in the Torah commanding us to light candles on Shabbat, even though the blessing clearly states, “vetzivanu lehadlik ner shel shabat,” “and you commanded us to light Shabbat candles.” The earliest document containing the blessing for … Seguir leyendo →

Mordechai Kaplan (1881-1983) was born in Lithuania. His parents, Rabbi Israel and Haya Kaplan, gave him a traditional Jewish education. In 1889, the family emigrated to the United States and settled in New York. He attended public schools, graduated from … Seguir leyendo →