A publicly funded project presenting Jewish history in Berlin has come under criticism for almost completely omitting central institutions of Jewish life in the historic Scheunenviertel district. The project “Spurlos verschwunden? – Jewish Life in the Heart of Berlin before the Nazi Dictatorship” is carried out by the Stiftung Neue Synagoge Berlin – Centrum Judaicum …
Making the Shabbat… Parashat Vayakhel–Pekudei
Our Parasha begins with a command:“Moses convoked the whole Israelite community and said to them: These are the things that G-d has commanded you to do.” וַיַּקְהֵ֣ל מֹשֶׁ֗ה אֶת־כׇּל־עֲדַ֛ת בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֑ם אֵ֚לֶּה הַדְּבָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֥ה ה׳ לַעֲשֹׂ֥ת אֹתָֽם׃(Shemot 35:1) He then continues by explaining that Shabbat must be kept as a complete day of …
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Jethro, the man who discovered “mixed feelings”… Shabbat Kodesh – Parashat Yitro
The idea that a person can genuinely experience “mixed” feelings is relatively new.Well into the 20th century, many psychologists believed that positive and negative emotions existed only sequentially. Researchers assumed that one could not feel good and bad at the same time. Even today, people often speak about happiness and unhappiness in this way—as if …
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Return of the Tefillin of Rabbi Dr Jehiel Jacob Weinberg זצ”ל to Berlin
Message from Kahane Corn Cooperman and Matthew Corn (USA) to the Adass Jisroel Community, Berlin On behalf of our parents, Dr. David and Beatrice Corn, we are honoured to present the tefillin of Rabbi Dr. Jehiel Jacob Weinberg to the Adass Jisroel community – a place so central to his life and work in Berlin. …
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Hearts vs. Mind … Shabbat Kodesh – Parashat Bo
There are numerous references to Pharaoh’s heart in this week’s Shabbat reading. G’d said to Moshe: “Come to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, in order that I may place these signs of Mine in his midst.” בֹּא אֶל־פַּרְעֹה כִּֽי־אֲנִי הִכְבַּדְתִּי אֶת־לִבּוֹ וְאֶת־לֵב עֲבָדָיו לְמַעַן שִׁתִי אֹתֹתַי אֵלֶּה …
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The Subconscious reason – Parashat Shemot
When we study this Parsha's conversation in which G’d is urging Moshe Rabeinu to accept the role of leadership, it is astonishing to observe how Moshe Rabeinu uses multiple arguments in his attempt to avoid the mission. At first he reasons with G’d that Bnei Yisrael will ask him "who is the G’d who has …
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Shabbat Vayigash – Two Chasidic stories
The first one happened roughly 180 years ago - the second one, yesterday... First story : Rebbe Moshe Leib of Sassov used to tell his chassidim that he learned what it means to love a fellow from two Russian peasants. Once he came to an inn, where two thoroughly drunk Russian peasants were sitting at …
Shabbat Vayeshev – Controlling our feelings….
We read in Parshat Vayeshev (Bereshit 37, 3-4), the story of Yaakov Avinu, Yosef and his brothers : וְיִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אָהַ֤ב אֶת־יוֹסֵף֙ מִכׇּל־בָּנָ֔יו כִּֽי־בֶן־זְקֻנִ֥ים ה֖וּא ל֑וֹ וְעָ֥שָׂה ל֖וֹ כְּתֹ֥נֶת פַּסִּֽים׃ Now Israel loved Joseph best of all his sons—he was his “child of old age”; and he had made him an ornamented tunic. וַיִּרְא֣וּ אֶחָ֗יו כִּֽי־אֹת֞וֹ …
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Mega / Minor – Shabbat Vayishlach
In the midst of a very important time in Yaakov Avinu's life, we read: Thus Jacob came to Luz—that is, Bethel—in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him.There he built an altar and named the site Beth-El, for it was there that G'd had been revealed to him when …
Zachor & Shamor… Shabbat Kodesh Parashat Vaetchanan
The ten commandments are read twice in the yearly cycle of קריאת התורה. The first time is in Parshat Yitro, and the second time- this week, in Parshat Vaetchanan. There are a few differences in the text, in particular in relation to Shabbat: In Yitro, we read (Shemot Chapter 20,8): Zachor Et Yom Hashabbat, i.e. …
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