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weekly insights
Light of Torah
Jan 2, 20213 min read
Jacob's Longing
As our Torah portion opens, Jacob has been 17 years in Egypt. His longing for his homeland is unmistakable. His longings reflect not only...
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Light of Torah
Dec 26, 20203 min read
Why was Jacob Afraid?
Today’s Torah portion appears to bring the saga of Jacob’s sons to a happy conclusion. In a tearful reunion, Joseph reveals himself as...
104 views
Light of Torah
Dec 19, 20202 min read
Joseph stands his ground
Have you ever been placed in a situation where your life, career or a relationship hung in the balance? A moment when your next choice of...
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Light of Torah
Dec 10, 20202 min read
December Lights
In December both Christians and Jews hold candle-lighting rituals. Christian families light the Advent wreath candles on the Sundays...
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Light of Torah
Dec 4, 20203 min read
Brotherly reunion? Or battleground?
"Jacob sent messengers ahead to his brother Esau” (Genesis 32:4.) As Genesis 32 opens, Jacob, with his entourage of wives, children,...
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Light of Torah
Nov 28, 20202 min read
Jacob's Ladder
Our Torah reflection this week, from Chapter 28 of Genesis, opens with Jacob, the grandson of Abraham, fleeing to Haran having just...
79 views
Light of Torah
Nov 21, 20203 min read
Living Water, Living Tradition
Genesis 26 tells a story from the adult life of Isaac. It is a story strikingly similar to a story about his father, Abraham, in Genesis...
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Light of Torah
Nov 9, 20203 min read
'Night of Broken Glass': Remembrance & Responsibility
“Where books are burned, human beings are destined to be burned also” — Heinrich Heine, German critic and poet (1797-1856) This quote...
16 views
Light of Torah
Nov 4, 20203 min read
So, why did the Lord visit Abraham?
“The Lord appeared to him [Abraham] by the terebinths of Mamre; he was sitting at the entrance of the tent as the day grew hot” (Genesis...
23 views
Light of Torah
Nov 4, 20202 min read
Abraham goes forth
The figure of Abraham is central to our Torah reflections this week (Genesis 12:1 - 17:27). Actually, as the story opens he is called...
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Light of Torah
Oct 23, 20203 min read
Noah Alone
So, you think you know the story of Noah’s Ark? So did I until I began reading it with the help of traditional Jewish insights. The...
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Light of Torah
Oct 17, 20202 min read
Which Adam? Which Eve?
In the opening two chapters of Genesis the reader finds two different accounts of the creation of humankind. What are we to make of these...
17 views
Light of Torah
Oct 10, 20202 min read
rejoicing in the torah!
Can Christian awareness of the Jewish festival Simchat Torah ('Rejoicing in the Torah') enliven their own Christian Bible reading? What...
31 views
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