Interviews with composers almost always begin with the question: “What inspired you to write this song?” Why is inspiration so intimately connected with music and song? What is special about a song that makes it more than just an alternative to speech as a way to express oneself? This week’s Torah portion, Beshalach, features the Az Yashir, […]
Count down. Think back to when you were a child. What would you count down to? Perhaps the last day of school. Maybe a daily countdown to recess. As a teenager you probably counted down to the day you would be old enough to get a driver’s license. When you were engaged to be married […]
Saying farewell is never easy, all the more so for people who have been together for many years, through thick and thin, and have developed a strong relationship. This week’s Torah portion, Devarim, commences Moses’s farewell speech to the Jews. Can you imagine how difficult it must have been for Moses to bid farewell to […]
Does the expression “Don’t cry over spilled milk” sound familiar? This is among the most common refrains in parenting. But at times I wonder, what if the “milk” would have been of great value…would this adage still apply? An interesting incident is recorded in this week’s Torah portion, Bahaloscha. Two years after the Jews had […]
Would you like to hear a riddle? Did your interest just perk up when you read that question? There’s something about riddles that catch our attention. There must be something to it. For some it may be the element of challenge, while for others it may be the element of surprise that lies within the […]
Former President John F. Kennedy once stated, “My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” In Judaism we say, “Ask not what your brother can do for you – ask what can you do for your brother,” as we see in this […]