Author Archives: Michal Kohane מיכל כהנא

California Girl in NY, Week 3: Ki Tavo… coming and going

Posted on September 23, 2016 by Michal Kohane מיכל כהנא

The Weather – again… Summer rainstorms?? If the CA “weather paradox” imagery might be skiing in t-shirt, NY’s might be negotiating puddles in shorts, flip-flops and umbrella… New Yorkers 101 My morning walk is great, mostly because it saves me … Continue reading →

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California Girl in NY – Week 2: Vignettes and Torah

Posted on September 15, 2016 by Michal Kohane מיכל כהנא

Choices I’ve never had to make: When I walk out of the Yeshiva this afternoon, the morning clear, beautiful, blue sky gives way to glorious thick, dark, grey clouds. Within minutes, torrents gush down the streets. I’m drenched and hurry … Continue reading →

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Don’t do nothing – Parashat Shoftim

Posted on September 9, 2016 by Michal Kohane מיכל כהנא

For now, I am fortunate to walk to school in the mornings. The weather is actually very much a reminder of my Haifa childhood. There are magnificent, tall maple and other so green trees that enjoy and benefit from the … Continue reading →

Posted in life and some, shabbat shalom, פרשת השבוע לחילוני האדוק | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

5 decades later – starting again…

Posted on September 7, 2016 by Michal Kohane מיכל כהנא

Twenty years ago, while working on my masters in Jewish Studies, I had the great honor to learn in person with Dr. Rebetzin / Rabbanit Naomi Cohen, wife of then Chief Rabbi of Haifa, Eliyahu Yosef Sh’ar Yashuv Cohen. I … Continue reading →

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“See, I set before you…”

Posted on September 2, 2016 by Michal Kohane מיכל כהנא

Some of the Torah commandments are quite baffling. And I am not talking about the commandment to eat certain foods, or keep Shabbat; not even peculiar things like separating wool and linen, or meat and milk. Those are all maybe … Continue reading →

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Looking for the Nothing in the Middle – 3805 Miles Later

Posted on August 26, 2016 by Michal Kohane מיכל כהנא

3805 miles later, from upstate NY, reflecting on the last 12 days, journeying from coast to (almost) coast… 1. My Blue Stallion: When we – my stallion and I – arrived at Rapid City, South Dakota, at 10pm, having left … Continue reading →

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Day 9: Crossing the Mississippi River to Chicago

Posted on August 25, 2016 by Michal Kohane מיכל כהנא

In the summer of 1977, the synagogue we belonged to (or maybe I should say, it belonged to us, as it was just starting -) embarked on a new project: inviting exchange students from America. For about six months, the … Continue reading →

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Day 7: A Shot of Patriotism Straight to the Vein

Posted on August 22, 2016 by Michal Kohane מיכל כהנא

When my kids we young(er), we used to read the “Christmas Menorah”, the true story of a 1993 Billings Montana incident, when a brick was thrown through the bedroom window of a 5-year-old Jewish boy, displaying a menorah. Horrified, committed … Continue reading →

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Shabbat Nachamu – The Shabbat of Comfort: “Discovering America”, part I

Posted on August 20, 2016 by Michal Kohane מיכל כהנא

I’ve been living in this country for more than 30 years. Yes. I know that’s hard to believe, especially with me being 29 and all, and yet. More than 30 years, and so much I have not seen, especially in … Continue reading →

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Shabbat Chazon – the Shabbat of vision and looking ahead

Posted on August 13, 2016 by Michal Kohane מיכל כהנא

You might have seen some of the online back and forth: to fast or not to fast, that is the question. Why fast, they those who’d rather not. After all, we have our land and Jerusalem is our capital. Fasting … Continue reading →

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