Author Archives: Michal Kohane

Sunny Wednesday in Haifa. I walk home after hearing some unmistakable “booms”, later to be reported as “nefilot”, literally “falls” and referring to the drop of missiles. I look around, lost in my thoughts, mostly wandering if there are any … Continue reading →

In an unusual effort to be proactive, I started writing this piece earlier, on the morning of Jerusalem Day. I didn’t finish in time before heading out to my day’s activities. ‘It’s ok’, I thought, ‘I’m in a good place … Continue reading →

I haven’t seen him since I left Brooklyn, almost two years ago: “let’s walk and talk, and you can tell me what’s been going on with you; you can begin wherever you want…”, I said excitedly. “Ok, then”… he started … Continue reading →

Lag Ba’omer of my childhood was the most fun, most dangerous, craziest day of the year. For weeks before, we hunted for board, twigs, broken anything, old school papers; anything that would make a fantastic bonfire, the highest, the brightest, … Continue reading →

שתי פרשות, שונות ודומות כמעט בלב ספר ויקרא: אחד מספרת לנו על קדושת הכהן הגדול וקדושת היום הקדוש, יום הכיפורים, והשניה, על הקדושה של כולנו, בכל הפרטים הקטנים של החיים. כן, התשובה היא עדיין, כן…. בסוף פרק כ:26, כתוב: וִהְיִ֤יתֶם … Continue reading →

Yom Hazikaron. Memorial Day for Israel’s fallen soldiers and terror victims. We cry all day because this day is – and is made to be – so, so sad. The music. The ceremonies. The pictures. The stories. Then, within moments, … Continue reading →

10am on Yom HaSho’a, Memorial Day for the Holocaust and Bravery. The traditional siren is sound, wailing through the air, cutting through everything, silencing everything else. It echoes all around the country, outside and inside, the radio, pausing its sad … Continue reading →

Pesach means to “pass-over” but according to some, it’s also pe-sach, literally, a speaking mouth. Everything to do with this holiday is about our mouth: much attention goes into what we put into it, and what comes out. No wonder … Continue reading →

The name Pesach, aside from being a reminder of God’s “passing-over”, can also be read as pe-sach, literally, “a talking mouth”. No wonder that such a holiday, which is based on things going into our mouth and coming out of … Continue reading →

Imagine: you are about the start teaching Torah to young children, and you have to pick where to start them. Which story would it be? Abraham’s journey, Rachel at the well, Joseph’s coat, Miriam watching Moses floating in the basket, … Continue reading →