Author Archives: Michal Kohane מיכל כהנא

Oakland

Posted on November 26, 2014 by Michal Kohane מיכל כהנא

Oakland, the evening after Ferguson; Oakland after Michael Brown; Oakland after Trayvon Martin; Oakland after Oscar Grant; Oakland after the Super Bowl of 2003. And that of 2009. My son and I take Zoe, our golden-lab for a walk and … Continue reading →

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Isaac: not the usual strength

Posted on November 21, 2014 by Michal Kohane מיכל כהנא

Isaac and Rebecca are only with us for one, not-too-long Torah portion. We already met them last week: him in his walking, silent meditation; her, working hard at the well to water the servant’s camels, chatting happily, making bold decisions. … Continue reading →

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Opposites Attract – or complementary opposites attract: An Intro to Isaac & Rebecca

Posted on November 14, 2014 by Michal Kohane מיכל כהנא

Sometimes the Torah is so stingy with words, and sometimes it goes on and on… We know close to nothing about Abraham’s first 75 years, but the longest chapter in the Torah is dedicated to one afternoon in the life … Continue reading →

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Part II: The 1st Marriage Counselor and other Family Matters

Posted on November 7, 2014 by Michal Kohane מיכל כהנא

Abraham and Homework The Torah devotes lengthy chapters to Abraham, and in all of them, “forgot” to tell us, why did G-d choose him in the first place. After all, when we met Noah, we heard about how righteous and … Continue reading →

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

And G-d spoke to Abraham & Sarah saying…

Posted on October 31, 2014 by Michal Kohane מיכל כהנא

עשרה נסיונות נתנסה אברהם אבינו עליו השלום ועמד בכולם להודיע כמה חיבתו של אברהם אבינו עליו השלום “With ten tests our father Abraham was tested” – The rabbis tell us in Pirkei Avot (5:3) – “and he withstood them all–in … Continue reading →

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Life Begins After Simchat Torah…

Posted on October 24, 2014 by Michal Kohane מיכל כהנא

A friend of mine says that “life begins after Simchat Torah”, and in a way, by the time the holidays are over, there is an eagerness to get back to “normal”. But for me, especially that last afternoon in the … Continue reading →

Posted in life and some, shabbat shalom, פרשת השבוע לחילוני האדוק | 1 Comment

Back to the Beginning

Posted on October 15, 2014 by Michal Kohane מיכל כהנא

This evening is shmini atzeret. What is Shmini Atzeret? Eh… just come over. There will be wine and drinks and food, although nothing uniquely dedicated to this day, no matza, no apples in honey, no blintzes or latkes; there is … Continue reading →

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And after the New Year…

Posted on September 24, 2014 by Michal Kohane מיכל כהנא

The way a couple tells their story predicts divorce or marital stability with 94 percent accuracy. Turns out there is high correlation between an eventual break up and divorce, and low scores in fondness among the partners, high scores in … Continue reading →

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Stably-Moving towards Rosh Hashana…

Posted on September 19, 2014 by Michal Kohane מיכל כהנא

Don’t get me wrong: I love the upcoming Holy Days, but I can’t shake the feeling of shear fear when thinking about Rosh Hashana. Rosh Hashana is like going through an airport metal detector with a Swiss army pocketknife, a … Continue reading →

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תקנו את הכלים וכן משחקים – fixing the vessels – parashat ki tavo

Posted on September 11, 2014 by Michal Kohane מיכל כהנא

“Shavru et hakelim velo mesachakim” – שברו את הכלים ולא משחקים – (they) broke the vessels and there’s no (more) playing” – is a famous, common line Israelis use. It comes up in kids’ games but it’s can generally mean … Continue reading →

Posted in life and some, shabbat shalom, פרשת השבוע לחילוני האדוק | 1 Comment