Video Two Thousand Year Old Stone Vessel Factory found in Israel A rare workshop for the production of chalkstone vessels, dated to the Roman period, is being excavated and studied at Reina in Lower Galilee. Excavations are unearthing a cave in which archaeologists have found thousands of chalkstone cores and other types of production waste, including fragments of stone mugs and
Paid-members only >Books Pirke De-Rabbi Eliezer Pirke De-Rabbi Eliezer is an ancient Jewish commentary on various passages of the Torah. This book is attributed to Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus, who lived in the 1st century CE. Yet most scholars do not see a direct connection between the contents of this volume and the early sage.
Members only >Seminars Embracing Spiritual Duty: Benei Mitzvah Tradition (~1.5h) Many cultures around the world have rituals that signify the coming of age. Bar and Bat Mitzvah ceremonies are customs of this variety that have developed in Jewish culture. In the Jewish context, however, the custom has to do with reaching spiritual maturity. It's a moment when a
Video Yom Kippur Customs and Observances by BimBam Learn the basics of the Day of Atonement in 3 minutes. Yom Kippur is the most holy day of the Jewish year and it is full of spiritual opportunity if you open yourself up to its customs, prayers and melodies. This short video is a basic primer on what Yom
Paid-members only >Seminars The Sound of Shofar Have you wondered about the Shofar? This is a discussion on the tradition of sounding the Shofar, what it means, and its purpose. This interactive talk was recorded live and includes questions and comments from the audience.
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,
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
>Audio 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 a straightforward question. The term rabbi appeared sometime just prior to the first century CE and its
Paid-members only >Audio From Rabbi to Lord to Jesus (~2hrs) 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 a straightforward question. The term rabbi appeared sometime just prior to the first century CE and its
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
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
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
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,
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
Paid-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?
Paid-members only >Audio Musaf - Additional Offering Torah describes daily obligatory offerings that God commanded to be brought on his altar (Numbers 28). They are called korban Tamid. They are but a token of what we owe truly owe God. But on Shabbat, God expected another offering - Musaf.
Audio Is prayer your steering wheel?... Corrie Ten Boom > Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire? > Corrie Ten Boom Steering0:00/1:281×This saying may sound like a cliche, but you have to consider who said these words. If you have never heard of Corrie Ten Boom, she was a Dutch Christian woman who
Video Why Study Zohar and Kabbalah? This is a lecture by Daniel Matt a scholar of Kabbalah and a Professor at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley. He taught at Stanford University and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Dr. Matt is a translator of the first nine volumes of the twelve-volume Zohar (Pritzker edition). In
Articles Roman Dining Room Mosaics in Egypt? Recently, a team of Egyptian and Polish archaeologists discovered a well-preserved Roman mosaic floor in a house at the site of Kom El-Dikka. The archaeological site features a small theater, an imperial bath, and a group of 22 lecture halls that may have been part of a university
Audio "Good people do not need laws..." Plato > "Good people do not need laws to act responsibly and bad people will find a way around those laws." > Plato Good people do not need laws...0:00/1:311×Many people think that the laws and rules exist only to limit us. And that is
Paid-members only >Books The Five Books of Moses by Robert Alter Early on in my study of Hebrew literature, I discovered the works of Robert Alter. His focus on the literary features of ancient Hebrew and its unique poteism, its powerful semiotic nature captivated me. Then I ran across his English translations of the Torah and they have enhanced my study
Audio Six Days a Week... Heschel > Six days a week we seek to dominate the world. On the seventh day, we seek to dominate the self. > Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel Six Days0:00/1:371×Countless Bible readers have stumbled over verses where God tells Moses to instruct Israelites to sanctify the Sabbath. But
Video Jesus Kept Kosher Professor Daniel Boyarin can boast of a distinguished career in academia, both in Israel and in the USA, in religious and in secular institutions. His ideas and research often challenge preconceived notions of both Jews and Christians, and he receives plenty of criticism for his bold claims. His books are
