Written by Devorah Friedman, Ha’Am’s External Managing Editor This week’s Torah portion, Ki Tisa, begins with the completion of the Tabernacle and ends with a description of Moses’ relationship to G-d and his devotion to the people he led through…
Taste of Torah: Constructing a permanently portable sanctuary
Written by Moshe Kahn, Ha’Am staff writer This week’s Torah portion, Terumah (Exodus 25:1 – 27:19), recounts the instructions for the building of the Mishkan (Tabernacle). This portable sanctuary was the focal point of Jewish communal activity until the permanent…
Taste of Torah: Money on fire
Written by Rabbi Dovid Gurevich, Chabad at UCLA This week’s Torah portion of Mishpatim contains a dramatic transition from last week’s climactic revelation at Sinai and the giving of the Ten Commandments to the seemingly mundane civil laws, torts, crimes,…
Taste of Torah: Approaching divinity
Written by Jon Sadik, third-year psychobiology major and vice president of the Jewish Learning Initiative on Campus When preparing to give the Torah to the Jewish people, G-d gives Moses a curious warning: “Set a boundary for the people roundabout…
Taste of Torah: Let my people go! A new look at an old story
Written by Daniel Levine, third-year cognitive science major and gabbai of UCLA’s Jewish Learning Initiative on Campus Throughout the Exodus story, we are presented with multiple interactions between Moses and Pharaoh. On their surface, these meetings seem to comprise Moses…
Taste of Torah: You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar
Written by Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan, Jewish Learning Initiative on Campus. Heralded as a leader and revered in history as a paradigmatic hero, it’s hard to imagine that there was a time in Moses’ life marked with desperation. In this week’s…
Taste of Torah: Basking in the glow
Written by Sharona Kaplan, Rebbetzin for Jewish Learning Initiative on Campus. What’s more emblematic of Chanukah than relaxing near a burning menorah and munching on latkes or doughnuts? The iconic menorah and the traditional oily foods reflect the ancient origins…
Taste of Torah: Cosmic wrestle-mania for the world’s soul
Written by Dovid Gurevich, rabbi of Chabad at UCLA. Three adventurers from France, Italy and Israel were captured by vicious Caribbean cannibals. In an attempt to be “civilized,” the cannibals offered each captive one last wish before being thrown into…
Taste of Torah: More compassionate than we knew
Written by Kerry Chaplin, rabbinic intern at Hillel at UCLA. My wife and I adopted an almost entirely black puppy recently. His name is Charlie (our last name is Chaplin). When we adopted Charlie, we steeled ourselves for the house…
Taste of Torah: L’Chaim, to life!
Written by Danielle Natelson, director of engagement at Hillel at UCLA. This Taste of Torah goes out to all my friends in the Jewish Bruin class of 2015, so if it’s coming across your news feed I suggest you keep…