Perhaps one of the most unique features characterizing Shavuot is the extensive ‘Omer’ count that leads up to the holiday. It’s fascinating that the Torah does not even prescribe a specific calendar d…
Taste of Torah: Vayakhel and Pekudei
By Rabbi Levi Haskelevich, Chabad at Penn This week’s Shabbat is packed with multiple ritual and historical significant components that all come together in a very special way. Two Torah portions: Vay…
Pro-Palestinian Activists Protest on Campus
Approximately twenty activists involved with Students for Justice in Palestine marched through the UCLA campus on Wednesday afternoon in protest of the state of Israel, its alleged human rights violat…
Taste of Torah: Building the World
By: Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan In less than 24 hours, Jewish communities throughout the world will come together to read Parshat Shemini. The portion stands as the climax of a long story that began in Exodus,…
Taste of Torah: On Law and Spirituality
by Chayi Hanfling of Jewish Awareness Movement (JAM) at UCLA This week’s Torah portion is Parshat Mishpatim, a portion that details laws and ordinances. It is filled with legal intricacies and minutia…
Taste of Torah: Two Approaches to Life
Looking for some productive procrastination? Check out Rabbi Dr. Tal Sessler’s piece on this past week’s parashah, Toldot.…
Taste of Torah: And Then We Begin
By Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan Rabbi Kaplan is one of the JLIC educators at UCLA. This past Monday and Tuesday, many congregations throughout the United States and around world finished the annual cycle of rea…
Taste of Torah: Secure while leaving the homeland
Written by Sharona Kaplan, Co-Director of the Jewish Learning Initiative on Campus at UCLA…
Taste of Torah: Parashat Shelach Lecha and shlichut at UCLA
Written by Yair Vardi, Israel Fellow at Hillel at UCLA This week, we read parshat Shelach Lecha — שְׁלַח לְךָ. This is the famous para…
Taste of Torah: Like an arrow
Written by Sharona Kaplan, Jewish Learning Initiative on Campus at UCLA “So, what are you doing next year?!” A simple, yet potentially dreaded question for so many graduates who have yet t…