Articles Reviving the Ancient Shofar Sound in Israel The piercing note of a shofar – a ram’s horn used in Jewish religious ceremonies – cuts through the mountain air of the Galilee. Here in northern Israel, shepherdess Jenna Lewinsky is raising a flock of “Jacob Sheep” as a religious calling. With anything up to six horns on each animal,
Members only >Audio Fight For Your Future In Numbers 31, Moses was told that he must exact vengeance for what Midian did to Israel, and then he can be free. For Moshe, this meant that once he is done, the tribes will move on to possess the land promised to them and he will die. This is
Members only >Audio God Who Says No How many of us have a hard time saying No? How many of us say No, only to hear back – Why? In our modern culture saying No is completely out of style. If you say No and insist, you are looked upon as an alien from outer space. No is
Members only >Audio On The Other Side Every time I go on vacation I need to go somewhere. I can't stay at home. If I stay at home, I will end up doing things around the house. It will not be a vacation. I can't look at things that need to be done and just relax instead
Members only >Audio Between Obedience and Blessing If you obey my laws, says Hashem, I will maintain a covenant with you, and you will experience a life of blessing. I am sure you have heard this before. We all want a blessing. It’s the obeying part that is not always easy. In fact, the hardest part
Audio A person is not what he knows... Rebbe Nachman "A person is not what he knows, a person is not what he does. A person is what he is longing for." Rabbe Nachman of Breslov When making an acquaintance, it is common for people to ask each other what they do for a living. Occupations can somewhat define us,
Video Psalm 3 (Hebrew-English) Psalm 3 is a desperate cry for help, praise from the lips of David. God rescued him from the grip of his foes as they sought his life. This poem is full of hope and assurance in God’s miraculous salvation amidst great danger. מִזְמוֹר לְדָ
Paid-members only >Audio 03 From Rabbi to Lord How did Jesus go from being called a Rabbi to being called Lord? Is this a huge leap? And what does that title signify, exactly? Dig into the language and culture a little more, and you will be surprised.
Paid-members only >Audio 02 What does Rabbi mean? What does the term Rabbi mean? Many people have a rough idea. But do we know what it meant when it first appeared? This segment looks at how this term came to be and how has it's meaning changed over time.
>Audio 01 Was Jesus a Rabbi? Was Jesus a Rabbi? Some people would say yes, some no and some would be unsure how to answer. There is a good reason why the answers are often different. This is not such a straightforward question. This is segment 01 out of 6 (more to come) If it cannot
Paid-members only >Audio The Psalms of Solomon 1-3 Audio The Psalms of Solomon are a collection of eighteen Jewish poetic compositions from around the second or first century BCE. They were originally composed in Hebrew or possibly in Aramaic. But the oldest manuscripts that have survived to our times are the Greek and Syrian Aramaic translations of the original
Audio Everything is in the hands... Rabbi Chanina "Everything is in the hands of heaven except the fear of heaven" Rabbi Chanina (Berakhot 33b) When Rabbi Chanina mentions the "fear of heaven" - he means "the fear of God". And by "fear" he does not mean fear as most people see it. This is one of those moments
Paid-members only >Books From the Maccabees to the Mishna by Shaye Cohen Shaye J. D. Cohen is a Professor of Hebrew Literature and Philosophy in the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations at Harvard University. He is a well-known historian who also holds rabbinic ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary. This book (link here) is one of my favorites. If you
Video Food Laws - Jewish Perspective This is a lecture by Shaye J. D. Cohen who is a Professor of Hebrew Literature and Philosophy in the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations at Harvard University. He is a well-known historian who also holds rabbinic ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary. If University lectures typically don't
Video What is Kosher? by BimBam An introduction to kosher, for everyone. Learn why people keep kosher, the basic rules, how to get started, or how to be thoughtful as a guest in a kosher home. A great intro for Jews and non-Jews alike.
Video Listen to Yemenite, Samaritan, and Modern Hebrew Hebrew is an ancient language. And throughout thousands of years, different versions of Hebrew have emerged. Most people are familiar with the Modern Israeli Hebrew but rarely hear other forms. In this video, you can hear a Yemenite Jew showcase the differences in Hebrew pronunciation preserved in his community. And
Paid-members only Articles Is New Testament the same as New Covenant? What is the difference between “Testament” and “Covenant”? In the Western world, many people are familiar with a “final will and testament” — a legal document read when someone passes away. The document expresses the deceased’s wishes, often in connection with estate and inheritance. As a unilateral declaration of one’
Articles God’s Name and Mount Ebal Inscription A new exciting archeological discovery was recently announced – a small ancient tablet made of copper found on Mt Ebal, in Israel. The artifact was scientifically dated to the late Bronze age, maybe the 13th or 14th century BCE. That is quite old! The most exciting part is that the copper
Articles New Finds and Excavations in Caesarea Israeli archaeologists working on a major Roman-era port city have unveiled new discoveries including an altar dedicated to Augustus Caesar and a centuries-old mother-of-pearl tablet inscribed with a menorah. The finds at Caesarea, a complex on the Mediterranean coast 50 kilometers (30 miles) north of Tel Aviv, were the result
Paid-members only Articles The Direction of our Prayers For thousands of years, Jews have been to God while facing Jerusalem. Muslims have a similar tradition. Only they bow toward the city of Mecca. Such cultural practice may seem a bit unusual for Christians who direct their gaze elsewhere, to the altar in front of them or to the
Articles Hebrew Bible Translation and Commentary by Robert Alter When I first heard that Robert Alter was working on translating the whole Tanakh (Hebrew Bible) and I was thrilled that this brilliant scholar decided to undertake such a monumental task. Professor Alter is well-known for his attention to the literary features of Hebrew. When his translation came out, it
Video The Salt of The Earth In Matthew 5:13 Jesus said to his disciples, "You are the salt of the earth..." but what exactly did he mean by that? Look beyond the English idioms. Look deeper into history. Consider how ancient Greeks and Jews perceived salt in antiquity. What did salt mean to Romans? Study
Audio The Star Wars Saga... > Why did the Star Wars Saga begin with Parts IV, V, and VI? In charge of planning, Yoda was! > Simon S. Star Wars0:00/1:321×If you are a Star Wars fan, you might be chuckling, right now. And if you are not a Star Wars fan you are
Members only Articles What Wine Would Jesus Drink? What kind of wine would Jesus drink in his lifetime? Leonardo Da Vinci’s iconic painting, “The Last Supper,” missed a few marks, but it got the wine part right. Biblical historians have long pondered what dishes may have been on the table at the Last Supper. One thing that’
Members only >Audio Privileges and Responsibilities Uncle Ben said to Peter Parker (Spiderman), “with great power comes great responsibility”. This is not a new idea. Parashat Emor (Leviticus 25) lists many privileges and responsibilities the priests must follow. What can we learn from these instructions?
