Hi, Hope you’re having a great day! And – at least for those of you in Chicago – that you are enjoying the weather! … We had a great Purim at CTN and I wanted to share something with you. We had a special reading of the Megillah (Scroll of Esther) for young Jewish professionals. […]

Hi, Hope you’re having a great day. … I get a Mazal Tov … I just bought a new car! A used Toyota Corolla. I’m very happy with it and it’s been a very pleasant experience. Until the other night! I was driving in unfamiliar territory and was heading in the wrong direction. And I […]

Hope you’re having a great day. … “Once upon a time…” Most cultures have parables.  A fictional story with a moral lesson. Here’s one told by a great Rabbi in the 18th century. With a huge lesson for us. … There was a man whose two sons lived in a different country. One was not […]

Boy! The summer was much longer when I was a kid! …My wife and I enjoyed a few days in Door County last week. (Both our boys were off in camp.) I don’t think most people there knew what a yarmulke is. But a few did. “You must be from Chicago! I’m from Oak Forest. […]

Hi, Hope you’re having a great day. The new Egyptian king sees the Jews as a threat and enslaves them. (Exodus, 1:8-2:10) He orders the Jewish midwives to kill every newborn Jewish boy. But the midwives “feared G-d” and defied the order.  They kept the boys alive. So Pharaoh issued a new decree.  To his […]

Hi, I hope you were able to sleep last night! What’s the second thing the Joseph teaches us? … The power of the Torah! A story like this shocks us. “ Jews don’t do things like this”! And its true. Violent crime is so rare among Jews. And we’re the People that has suffered the […]

Hi, Sorry I missed you yesterday. Believe me! I enjoy this much more than two hours at the dentist! … Jacob is about to be confronted by Esau. But not so fast. First, Jacob had a very mysterious experience.  (Genesis, 32:23-32) He had taken his family and his possessions across the river. And was now […]

Hi, Here’s why there will be no Torah Minute tomorrow.  The ninth day of Av. The saddest day in the Jewish calendar. It may surprise you. …It’s because we’re not supposed to study Torah! Doesn’t sound very Jewish? It’s very Jewish! Because tomorrow is a day of mourning. We remember the destruction of Jerusalem and […]

Hi, Thanks again for letting me share my mother’s story. And thanks to all that took the time to tell me that they were inspired. Especially those that said kind things about me. My Mom would actually believe it! … This Monday night and Tuesday is the ninth day of the Jewish month Av. The […]

Hi, Jacob had left the Land of Israel for two reasons. One, his brother Esau was furious that Jacob received the blessings from Isaac. And was planning to kill him. Second, his mother Rebecca sent him to her family to find a wife. Jacob was now returning to his parent’s home in Israel.  (Genesis 32:4) […]