Holy Moly

Categories: Kedoshim, Parsha

A WEEKLY TORAH THOUGHT FROM RABBI MORDY This week’s Parsha gives us a host of ethical and practical laws. It tells of laws relating to Shabbat, to acting in fairness in business, to honoring one’s parents, to, famously, the cardinal law to “love one’s fellow as oneself,” which is referred to by our sages as the great principle of the… Read More

Commemorate the Future?!

Categories: Acharei, Parsha

A WEEKLY TORAH THOUGHT FROM RABBI MORDY Tonight begins the Shabbat of Passover. These are days which commemorate the splitting of the Sea of Reeds (being approximately a week after the Jewish people were freed) as well as celebrate – strangely, in anticipation of- the future Redemption. Much is discussed about what “the Redemption” means and people tend to have… Read More

Challenge and Opportunity

Categories: Metzora, Parsha

A WEEKLY TORAH THOUGHT FROM RABBI MORDY This week’s Parsha (Metzorah) continues the saga of the “leper” discussed last week. The word “Metzorah” literally means, “one with Tzaraas,” so makes sense to contain these laws—and yet we find something intriguing. The laws relating to actually having Tzaraas were found in last week’s Parsha; this week contains the laws of purification… Read More

What’s the Good Word?

Categories: Parsha, Tazria

A WEEKLY TORAH THOUGHT FROM RABBI MORDY This week’s Parsha (Tazria) tells us about various pure and impure situations, most notably, “tzaraat,” a biblical era malady that we typically liken to leprosy. But one things stands out as a theme in the portion overall—the impact our words can have on reality. We sometimes think of words as here today, gone… Read More

To the Eighth Degree

Categories: Parsha, Shemini

A WEEKLY TORAH THOUGHT FROM RABBI MORDY This week we read the Parsha, Shemini, which literally means “Eighth.” There are some laws of kosher animals and various laws surrounding purity, but I’m going to focus on the name of the Parsha. The Eighth refers to the day on which, after the seven days of inauguration, Aaron, the high priest of… Read More

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Glasses Half Full

A WEEKLY TORAH THOUGHT BY RABBI MORDY They say seeing is believing. Well, if that’s the case, this Parsha is about belief. The Parsha is called “Re’eh,” which literally means “seeing,” and begins with Moses speaking to the Jewish people about important choices they need to make. His exact words? “See, I place before you today a blessing and a… Read More

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Weekly Roundup: August 22, 2025

FOTT Late Night: Bakery Square Movie Night What better way to wrap up the summer than with our final FOTT Late Night: Movie on the Lawn at Bakery Square? 🌙🍿 Members sang along and even jumped up to dance during the outdoor screening of Grease 🎶, filling the night with energy and fun. The Hand Jive Gummies and Rydell Refresher… Read More

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Before your Eyes

A WEEKLY TORAH THOUGHT BY RABBI MORDY This week’s Parsha (Eikev) continues Moses’s recapping to the Jewish people. One event mentioned, difficult as it may have been, was the sin of the Golden Calf and how it impacted another event, the Ten Commandments that Moses was carrying down the mountain at the same time. We treat this incident as one… Read More

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