by Danielle Altonaga | Oct 14, 2022 | Danielle Altonaga, Sukkot
“Quick! You NEED this product!” shouts the latest advertisement. “Tidy up!” (is what our house would say, if it could talk) “There are things everywhere!” Stuff. Objects. Possessions. A lot of us are surrounded by stuff; by things. But as the saying...
by Rabbi Altonaga | Oct 7, 2022 | Rabbi Zischa Shaps, Sukkot
Moishe is driving in Jerusalem. He’s late for a meeting and looking for a parking space but can’t find one. In desperation, he turns his face upwards and says, “Lord, if you find me a parking space, I promise that I’ll eat...
by Rabbi Altonaga | Sep 22, 2022 | Nitzavim, Rabbi Michael Altonaga, Weekly Parsha
In this week’s Torah portion, it says: …I have placed life and death before you, blessing and curse, and you should choose life, so that you will live… Devarim 30:19 What kind of commandment is that? Would we have thought that death was the better option? Why...
by Rabbi Altonaga | Sep 15, 2022 | Danielle Altonaga, Weekly Parsha
In this week’s Torah portion, Ki Tavo, Moses instructs the people of Israel: When you enter the land that G‑d is giving to you as your eternal heritage, and you settle it and cultivate it, bring the first-ripened fruits (bikkurim) of your orchard to the Holy Temple,...
by Rabbi Altonaga | Sep 10, 2022 | Uncategorized
If you build a new house, you shall make a fence for your roof. (Devarim 22:8) This Mitzvah seems pretty straightforward. Flat roofs were common and people used their roofs in various ways. In such a case, it is an obligation to build a fence so that no one...
by Rabbi Altonaga | Aug 25, 2022 | Rabbi Michael Altonaga, Re'eh, Weekly Parsha
President Biden has announced a plan to reduce and, in some cases, totally forgive student loans. Now, without getting into the politics of this decision as a government policy instituted in this way, it’s worth noting, as Jews, that this very week’s Torah portion...
by Danielle Altonaga | Aug 18, 2022 | Danielle Altonaga, Eikev, Weekly Parsha
Hustle Culture – n. “Also known as burnout culture and grind culture, hustle culture refers to the mentality that one must work all day every day in pursuit of their professional goals.”Monster.com Hustle culture glorifies making work the center of one’s life....
by Rabbi Shaps | Aug 11, 2022 | Rabbi Zischa Shaps, Weekly Parsha
Your health is the most important thing. We hear and say this statement quite often. But is it really true? Why is good health so important? It sounds like a ridiculous question. Without your health, you are limited in what you can do and in your quality of life. If...
by Rabbi Altonaga | Jul 29, 2022 | Mattos, Rabbi Michael Altonaga, Weekly Parsha
How do you become a self made man? Is it all about personal motivation and always striving forward? Is it about having a goal that you constantly focus on? The rags to riches story captures our imagination. We want to hear stories about visionaries who have made their...
by Rabbi Shaps | Jul 21, 2022 | Prayer, Rabbi Zischa Shaps, Weekly Parsha
By my count, I have said the weekday Shemoneh Esrei prayer more than 45,000 times. That is FORTY FIVE THOUSAND TIMES. I know it by heart and can recite this very long prayer without paying attention. Therein lies the problem. I should be concentrating on the words and...
