Category Archives: פרשת השבוע לחילוני האדוק

In Silence

Posted on April 17, 2015 by Michal Kohane מיכל כהנא

I’m sitting between the embroidered pillows on the purple couch at my aunt’s sunny living room, my feet rubbing against the soft carpet, indoor plants shading us from the slowly accumulating spring heat. In front of me is the mahogany … Continue reading →

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Pesach: A Love Story

Posted on April 9, 2015 by Michal Kohane מיכל כהנא

“A love story”, this is how a friend of mine defines her journey, and not as many would call her, a “chozeret bitshuva” חוזרת בתשובה, or as I tease, a “born again Jew”. A love story. Pesach perhaps is one … Continue reading →

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Getting Together

Posted on March 13, 2015 by Michal Kohane מיכל כהנא

What is the goal of a journey? To see places, to acquire new experiences? If we look at the Book of Exodus in its totality, maybe it’s all about connecting. We started with shmot, “names”, a list of separated individuals, … Continue reading →

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When is Jewish Valentine Day?

Posted on February 13, 2015 by Michal Kohane מיכל כהנא

Valentine Day is coming up and the world has filled with red roses, fluffy teddy-bears and little cute chocolates, so that once a year we can “celebrate love”. Once a year is definitely better than none, and once a year, … Continue reading →

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Us & Them: The Torah portion of Yitro

Posted on February 5, 2015 by Michal Kohane מיכל כהנא

“And Yitro heard … and he came to Moses” (Exodus 18:1). There are only six Torah portions named after people: Sarah and 5 men, half of them are Jewish and half (at least initially -) not. We meet one of … Continue reading →

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Shabbat Shira, Shabbat Shalom

Posted on January 30, 2015 by Michal Kohane מיכל כהנא

When people would approach Abraham Joshua Heschel and ask, how to start “doing more Jewish”, he would say, light Shabbat candles. This was just one the moving anecdotes shared by his daughter, Susana Heschel, a professor of Jewish Studies in … Continue reading →

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In Darkness and in Light

Posted on January 23, 2015 by Michal Kohane מיכל כהנא

It’s told about king Solomon that when he was a young boy, his teacher said to him,’I’ll give you an apple if you tell me where is G-d’, ‘and little king Solomon, who already was the wisest of all people, … Continue reading →

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Why Moses?

Posted on January 9, 2015 by Michal Kohane מיכל כהנא

Maybe it’s the Torah’s way of warning us how easy it is to go “down”, for within just a few verses, life has changed very dramatically! No longer in the Land of Israel, we’re living in Egypt; no longer a … Continue reading →

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Lessons from the first expat, Joseph Jacob-son

Posted on January 1, 2015 by Michal Kohane מיכל כהנא

Joseph is the first expat. Different from his great-grandpa Abraham, who was born in the diaspora and made aliya; different from his father Jacob who went to exile for a few years, got himself together, and actually came back, Joseph … Continue reading →

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Light One Candle II: The Blinding Power of Hatred

Posted on December 18, 2014 by Michal Kohane מיכל כהנא

How come the brothers didn’t recognize Joseph? On occasion I run into a past student of mine, then in grade school and now a young adult. They obviously have changed, and yet, it doesn’t take long before we go, ‘Oh … Continue reading →

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