Rabbi Klayman is on vacation but prepared a commentary on the portion. Click on the link on this page.

Some of you might remember the story of Bernard Getz, who killed several young people trying to rob him on a New York Subway train.

There was much debate concerning his actions…

Because there are so many dark episodes in Jewish history, we savor the moments and the eras, which highlight Jewish strength and independence.

Whether we come from affluent, modest, or impoverished environments, many of us lament the unfairness of life. Some of us regret having to struggle economically and socially. Some of us, accustomed to open-ended doors, are shocked when certain doors of life are abruptly shut.

Rabbi Klayman is away this week Please read his commentary on the portion in the link on this page.

I have always supported healthy debate and disagreement, both within the political world and the Jewish world. Disagreement can often lead to positive results, within our private lives, our professional lives, and even within our Jewish lives.

This week we will revisit the topic of God and our ongoing challenge to believe.

The Torah portion this week, B’haalot’kha puts both God and Moses to the test.

Here is a riddle of my own, uncreative choosing:

What do the holiday of Shavuot, the encounter at Mt. Sinai and the making of Gefilte Fish share in common?

I know that many of us wish for our children to be happy. However, we often speak about HAPPINESS as a feeling, rather than as an ongoing behavior. Happiness as a feeling can be temporary and fleeting. In contrast, happiness as a behavior endures even when moments of unhappiness overcome us.

9/11 changed our lives in drastic ways.

Yet, amidst the pain, tragedy, and anguish, we forged a new definition of a value that binds the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia with our Torah portion Behar.

When it comes to fulfilling dreams, we as a society have broken physical and emotional barriers, which once impeded or limited our success.

Unfortunately, there is one barrier we have yet to break.

Regarding the student demonstrations on campuses throughout America:
I support the exercise of free speech.

However, I do not support:
Verbal and physical assaults on Jews, in the false name of free speech...

To the demonstrators at Columbia and on other campuses, who abuse our freedoms:

If you want to learn something about the genuine character of the Jewish people, read this Sabbath's Torah portion Aharay Mot.

This coming Shabbat is called Shabbat Hagadol, The Great/Awesome Sabbath.

Shabbat Hagadol always precedes Passover as the vision in our Haftorah connects with Passover and with our eternal responsibility as Jews.

This week's Torah portion Tazria details, in somewhat grotesque fashion, a temporary skin disease, which demanded quarantine for the afflicted individual.

Skeptics and nay-sayers are apt to dismiss the Torah as an anachronistic document long out of touch with modernity.

I beg to differ.

In navigating through our day, how often must we devote time to disputing with some company or service provider we patronize?

Although the process is often agonizing, we have a right to demand honesty and clarity in all our dealings.

For the past two videos, I highlighted themes in the Book of Esther.

In this week's video I focus more on the global and idealistic appeal of the Book.

In contemporary times, Queen Vashti has made a deserved comeback.

Although sexism and sexual harassment still exist, many of us continue to fight for equality of all people.