Vayeshev Genesis 37:1–40:23 By Jen Smith Parashat Vayeshev opens with a simple line that is anything but simple: Vayeshev Yaakov b’eretz megurei aviv – And Jacob settled in the land where his fathers dwelled (Genesis 37:1). After decades of turmoil including Esau’s rage, Laban’s deceit, and a lifetime of wandering, Jacob understandably longs to settle, […]
Vayishlach Genesis 32:4 – 36:43 By Jen Smith Parshat Vayishlach opens with Jacob preparing for one of the most emotionally charged encounters in the Torah: meeting his estranged brother Esau after twenty years. This is not a simple reunion – it is a confrontation with fear, guilt, memory, family history, and the shadows of old […]
Vayetzei Genesis 28:10 – 32:3 By Jen Smith Parashat Vayetzei opens with one of the most iconic and mysterious scenes in the Torah. Frightened and alone, Jacob lies down in the wilderness with nothing but a stone for a pillow. As night falls, he dreams of a sulam, a ladder connecting earth and heaven, with […]
Click Dates in Bold for More Information Tues, Dec. 2 7th-12th Gr. 6-6:30pm Pizza; 6:30-8pm Classes Tues, Dec. 2 6:30-8pm 7th Gr Speaker Warren Marcus Fri, Dec. 56:30pm Camp-Inspired Shabbat Service Sun, Dec. 7 9:30am-12:30pm PreK-6th Gr. Tues, Dec. 9 7th-12th Gr. 6-6:30pm Pizza; 6:30-8pm Classes Thurs, Dec. 11 7:00pm Parents/Teens(13+): Sufgani-Challah Experience Sat, Dec. […]
Toldot Genesis 25:19–28:9 By Jen Smith Parshat Toldot is, at its core, a story about family: its beauty, its tensions, and the deep spiritual work of raising the next generation. In the opening lines, we meet two children who could not be more different: Esau, a ruddy, outdoorsy, rough and tumble boy, and Jacob, the […]
Chayei Sarah Genesis 23:1 – 25:18 By Jen Smith Parashat Chayei Sarah opens with a paradox: Chayei Sarah literally means “the life of Sarah,” but ironically, it begins with her death. When I first began reading and studying the Torah portions week by week, I was startled by the abrupt beginning of Chayei Sarah. After […]
Click the Icon or Text Below for More Information Tues. Dec. 210:30 AM Live & Learn with Rabbi Rachel Hersh Tues. Dec. 27 PM Book Club feat. Sara Goodman Confino Thurs. Dec. 47:30 PM Hanukkah Night Out and Optional Crafty Activity for Moms Fri. Dec 56:30 PM Camp-themed Shabbat for Families (All are welcome) Sun. […]
Vayera Gen. 18:1 – 22:24 By Jen Smith, Torah Blogger In Parshat Vayera, amidst miracles and moral upheaval, we encounter a quiet, luminous phrase: El Roi – the God who sees me.[1] These are the words of Sarah’s handmade, Hagar, an Egyptian servant who must have felt afraid or invisible, used, and abandoned. And yet, […]
