‘Women of the Wall’ are Detained Praying at Kotel
In the latest of several similar incidents, police detained four women from the Women of the Wall activist organization at the Western Wall plaza Sunday morning for wearing prayer shawls. The women were questioned for more than two hours and then brought to the Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court, where they were served with a restraining order […]
Blowing The Shofar on Motzai Yom Kippur
Rav Hai Gaon teaches that the custom to blow shofar at the end of Yom Kippur is based on the Torah obligation to blow shofar on the Yom Kippur of the yovel (the jubilee year). The Kol Bo says it is meant to confound the Satan. The Meiri concurs with this second reason but the […]
How to Observe Yom Ha’atzma’ut
Yom Ha’atzma’ut is a Jewish holiday commemorating Israel’s independence in 1948. This holiday is usually celebrated on or around the 5th day of the Jewish month of Iyar. Hallel should be said on Yom Ha’atzma’ut as well as Psalm 113-118. During the holiday morning, a portion of the Haftarah should be read. Torah reading is […]
A History of Illegal Shofar Blowing
Did you know that when the British were in charge of Palestine it was illegal to blow a shofar or bring a Torah scroll to the Western Wall? If you did it, you would be arrested. But every year, some brave young kids would sneak shofars to the Western Wall, and blow them at the […]
On Eagles’ Wings
Bruce David Perhaps the most complete Torah picture of all time, this piece is filled with hidden symbolism. In the brown area to the left of the Israeli flag (on the eagle’s wings), smaller forms compose the larger face of Joshua, seen holding and blowing a shofar. This same brown area is also the base […]