Judaism

Torah

Why Did the People Complain Over Manna?

Newsmakers

West Philly Rabbi Gives Benediction at Prayer Breakfast

Local

Does Birthright Stifle Teen Travel?

Torah

Evil Impulse: Thinking of Ourselves, Not Others

VA’EIRA, Exodus 6:2–9:35

By:

Rabbi Danielle Stillman

This week’s action-packed portion brings us seven of the 10 plagues that God inflicts on Pharaoh and the Egyptians. We identify with the Israelites in the story — they are our ancestors. Yet if we can try to identify with Pharaoh, there is a powerful lesson to be learned from him.

Synagogue Life

Bucks Synagogue Marches to New Home

By:

Eric Berger

Several hundred members of the Reform Temple Judea marched more than two miles with their Torahs to mark a long-awaited move into a brand new building in Doylestown.

Education

Chabad School Moves In Alongside Barrack

By:

Bryan Schwartzman

A growing school primarily for children of Chabad emissaries has found a new home on a property owned by the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia.

Columns

Reflections on Two Years of Blogging About Shabbat

By:

Miriam Steinberg-Egeth

A local Jewish professional and mother reflects on two years of blogging about Shabbat, closing that project but continuing her work as an advice columnist for the Exponent.

Israel

Women at Western Wall Fail to Move Secular Israelis

By:

Ben Sales, JTA

In response to recent criticism, Israeli officials are reviewing haredi Orthodox policies restricting religious expression at the Western Wall. But among the Israeli secular majority, such restrictions rank near the bottom of a long list of church-state issues they would like to address.