Torah Commentary

By Rabbah Arlene Berger Special to WJW This week’s Torah portion is Noach, Genesis 6:9-11:32. They say every rabbi really only has three sermons. Mine are: We...

By Rabbi Fred Scherlinder Dobb Special to WJW This week’s Torah portion is Bereshit, Genesis 1:1-6.8. In the beginning, ours was the human story. As the Talmud...

By Rabbi Jerry Seidler The autumn holidays call out to Jews for teshuvah, not so much repentance in my view, but for radical self-transformation. For...

By Rabbi Daniel Braune-Friedman Special to WJW During Sukkot in ancient times, Jews performed a unique water libation service — called Simchat Beit Hashoevah — inside...

By Clifford S. Fishman Special to WJW B’Rosh Hashanah yikateyvun,Uv-yom tzom kippur yeychateymun. On Rosh Hashanah it is written, And on Yom Kippur it is sealed. These words...

By Rabbi James R. Michaels Special to WJW If you look at any machzor, the prayer book for the High Holidays, you will find the words...

By Rabbi Sanford H. Shudnow Special to WJW This week’s Torah portion is Nitzavim-Va’yelech, Deuteronomy 29:9 - 31:30. Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur have always been greeted...

By Rabbi Scott A. Hoffman Special to WJW This week’s Torah portion is Ki Tavo, Deuteronomy 26:1 - 29:8. If you grew up like I did with...

By Rabbi Saul Oresky Special to WJW This week’s Torah portion is Ki Teitzei, Deuteronomy 21:10 - 25:19. Ki Teitzei is bookmarked by references to warfare. Its...

By Rabbah Arlene Berger This week’s Torah portion is Shoftim, Deuteronomy 16:18-21:9. Like many people, I’ve been on the lookout for different forms of escapism during...