Parashat Ki Tavo is one of the two Tochecha Torah portions. Tochecah means rebuke. But this is not a friendly rebuke, not even a tough criticism. This rebuke is more of a threat. ARUR Ha’Ish, ARUR Ha’Am – cursed be the person, cursed be the people who fall into this or that behavior…Now, the lists of wrongdoings and curses are very explicit…

In 1845 Heinrich Hoffman wrote the famous —Struwwelpeter, or in its English version “Shockheaded Peter”. The book tells several stories, presenting pretty horrifying consequences of children’s misbehavior. It has a very clear methodology and goal, scaring children for the sake of preventing misbehavior. Even when written thousands of years earlier, this week’s Sidrah is Torah’s version of Shockheaded Peter. We…

What would it take for us to stop what we are doing? Eikev, the name of this Sidra means: since or because, but it also means heel, the part of our bodies that connects us to earth, the component upon which everything else stands. Tonight, originally, I wanted to talk about foundational – core values as a general concept. However…

I’ll admit it… I did not want to listen. Two months ago, when a letter signed by more than 60 rabbinical students from a variety of rabbinical schools claiming that Israel holds an apartheid system was published, I decided to put it aside. At that time, I felt that I needed to focus my attention on other things: Family and…