Category Archives: Al reguel ajat

On June 19, 1947, David Ben-Gurion, chairman of the executive branch of the Jewish Agency, wrote to the ultra-Orthodox group Agudat Israel, promising them four things: first, that Shabbat would be the official day of rest of the future Jewish … Seguir leyendo →

The Jewish calendar is full of commemorative dates. The Torah commands us to celebrate Shabbat, Rosh Chodesh, Passover, Sukkot, Shmini Atzeret, Shavuot, Rosh Hashanah, and Yom Kippur. Later, the rabbis added Purim, Simchat Torah, Hanukkah, Tu Bishvat, Lag B’Omer, and … Seguir leyendo →

David M. Gitlitz and Linda Kay Davidson, in their book “Pilgrimage and the Jews,” address the topic of Jewish pilgrimages. And they ask: Are pilgrimages like those Catholics who go to Lourdes or Fatima to seek a cure for their … Seguir leyendo →

The Torah tells us, in Genesis 23, that Sarah died at the age of 127 in Kiryat Arba, today Hebron. Upon her death, Abraham spoke to the sons of Heth to ask for a place to bury her. He wanted … Seguir leyendo →

In Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables, the main character, Jean Valjean, is sent to prison, initially for five years, for stealing a loaf of bread. The novel is set in France in 1795. Today, in some Islamic fundamentalist regimes, the punishment … Seguir leyendo →

The first Temple in Jerusalem was built by King Solomon on Mount Moriah in the early years of his reign (970-931 BCE). It was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, in 586 BCE. The second Temple began construction in 538 … Seguir leyendo →

The Talmud tells us that, during the Roman siege of Jerusalem (70 CE), Rabbi Yohanan Ben-Zakai managed to remove the sages and leaders of the Jewish people from the city and bring them to Yavneh. However, his actions could not … Seguir leyendo →

Professor James A. Diamond tells us: “One problem that the sages of the Talmudic era encountered was the fact that no biblical figure even remotely walked or talked like a rabbi.” This anomaly was particularly serious when those figures were … Seguir leyendo →

Rabbi Yehuda Hanasi, known as “Rabbi,” (135–217 CE) lived in the Land of Israel during the Roman occupation. He was very wealthy and highly respected by the Romans. He was a key leader of the Jewish community at that time. … Seguir leyendo →

Jacob Neusner says: “If you talk to any Jew who cares about Judaism, the subject of “assimilation” will surely come up, a term fraught with negative connotations for loyal and devout Jews. They argue that assimilation can only lead to … Seguir leyendo →