Elections are the main topic of conversation on the news these past few days – elections in Israel and elections in the US.   Just a few hours ago, Prime Minister Netanyahu announced that he was calling for early elections, to take place just after the first of the year.  Talk of elections in Israel had […]

This week is the holiday of Succot, the Feast of Tabernacles, and the fifth Intermediary Day falls on Shabbat, so once again the regular Torah reading is suspended and a special portion for the holiday is read instead.

Thousands gathered at the Western Wall, the closest we could get to where the Temple once stood, and the President of Israel, then Chaim Herzog, read aloud from the Torah. It was indeed an awesome experience.

This week’s portion includes Moses’ last speech to the nation before the final poem that is Chapter 32 and the blessings in Chapter 33. Chapter 30 is often referred to as the “Return” chapter, including, as it does, references to both a physical and spiritual return to God and the Land of Israel. But a close examination of the verses in this chapter reveals a confusing sequence of events.