by Danielle Altonaga | Sep 3, 2026 | Danielle Altonaga, High Holidays, Rosh Hashana, Weekly Parsha
One spring day, when I was 9 years old, I was sitting at the table with my younger brother and his friend. Feeling wise and mature, I began to teach the 4-year-olds: Me: Hey guys, do you know what holiday is coming up? My brother: Um…I don’t know. Me: Could it...
by Shmuel Klein | Aug 28, 2026 | Ki Savo
Parshas Ki Savo begins with a beautiful ceremony known as bikkurim, the bringing ofthe first fruits. After years of wandering, the Jewish people finally settle in the Land of Israel. A farmerplants a field, waits patiently, and eventually sees the first signs of...
by Rabbi Altonaga | Aug 20, 2026 | Ki Seitzei, Rabbi Michael Altonaga, Weekly Parsha
The Torah does not usually tell us the reward for a mitzvah, so it’s eye catching when it does. In this week’s Torah portion, Ki Seitzei, one such mitzvah does appear. The mitzvah to shoo away a mother bird. כִּ֣י יִקָּרֵ֣א קַן־צִפּ֣וֹר | לְפָנֶ֡יךָ...
by Rabbi Shaps | Aug 13, 2026 | Elul, Rabbi Zischa Shaps, Rosh Hashana, Shoftim, Weekly Parsha
This morning we blew the Shofar heralding the new month of Elul representing the start of the High Holiday season. The Shofar is a reminder that Rosh Hashanah the Day of Judgment is approaching and we should prepare ourselves. Parshat Shoftim begins with the laws of...
by Danielle Altonaga | Aug 6, 2026 | Danielle Altonaga, Re'eh, Weekly Parsha
Jingle, clink, jingle. When I was studying in Jerusalem, I always had coins in my bag. One of my teachers, Rebbetzin Ruthie Karlinsky, had advised her students: “Keep a bag of small coins with you. That way, whenever somebody asks for Tzedakah, you will...
by Shmuel Klein | Jul 30, 2026 | Eikev, Rabbi Shmuel Klein, Weekly Parsha
We often turn to God when life is difficult. In moments of illness, uncertainty, or fear,prayer can feel natural. But Parshas Eikev teaches that there is another spiritualchallenge. One that can be even harder to recognize: what happens when life isgoing well? Moshe...
by Rabbi Altonaga | Jul 23, 2026 | Rabbi Michael Altonaga, Tisha B'Av, Weekly Parsha
Over Tisha B’Av, we read kinnos. Tragic poetry to help get us in the mindset of the day. One such kinnah that really struck me related to the death of Zechariah ben Yohayada. Zechariah was a prophet in the First Temple period. He rebuked...
by Rabbi Shaps | Jul 16, 2026 | Devarim, Rabbi Zischa Shaps, Weekly Parsha
How important is Derech Eretz? Is it simply good etiquette, or is it something much deeper? The Torah teaches us that the respect we show others, especially in ordinary interactions, is not incidental—it reveals what is truly in our hearts. In this...
by Danielle Altonaga | Jul 9, 2026 | Danielle Altonaga, mattos-masei, Weekly Parsha
When I was growing up, I loved performing in plays. In addition to performance skills, I learned some valuable life lessons in the theatre. Through much of my adolescence, I was part of a theatre troupe called CharActors. Each year, we would learn and rehearse...
by Shmuel Klein | Jul 2, 2026 | Pinchas, Rabbi Shmuel Klein, Weekly Parsha
The 17th of the Hebrew month of Tammuz, which was on Thursday, began a period in the Jewish calendar known as the Three Weeks: a time when we remember the events that led to the destruction of Jerusalem and the Beit Hamikdash, the Holy Temple. One of the tragedies...
