Moment Magazine on Trick-or-Treating

As part of its bimonthly “Ask the Rabbis” feature,Moment Magazineasked me to respond to the question “should Jewish children Trick-or-Treat?” An edited version of my answer appears in the October 2006 issue of Moment and can be foundhere. This...

Sukkot – Bringing Heaven Down to Earth

This article on Sukkot is dedicated to the memory of my paternal grandfather, Aziz ben Michael Maroof, who passed away this year on the fourth day of Sukkot. May his soul find its rest in the bond of eternal life. Amen.A Busy MonthThe month of Tishre is filled to the...

Will the Real New Year Please Stand Up?

A Modest ProposalI would like to submit a suggestion for your review. I propose that we change the date of secular New Year’s Day from January 1st to July 1st. After all, July offers warm, sunny weather rather than blizzard conditions. Parades and parties will...

The Mysterious Power of Selihot

The Source of SelihotThe chanting of Selihot, or prayers for forgiveness, is an essential feature of the High Holiday experience. In Sephardic communities, Selihot are said beginning from the second day of the Hebrew Month of Elul. Because we are already two weeks...

Shofetim – Kohanim in Strange Places

This week’s Parasha, Shofetim, discusses several mitsvot that pertain to the structure of Jewish society and government in the land of Israel. Included in this category are laws related to judges, jurisprudence and the authority of the courts, the monarchy,...
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