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Jewish Holidays

On Simchat Torah we finish the annual Torah reading cycle and begin anew. It’s marked by Hakafot, festive singing and dancing with the Torah

The Mitzvah of Hallel (Part 2)

April 27, 2023, by

Delivered at the OU Israel Center, 4 Iyar 5783 – April 25, 2023 with a digression on Yom Hazikaron/Yom Haatzmaut Rabbi Breitowitz’s Tuesday Shiur is sponsored for the 2023 academic year by Rabbi Refoel and Sharon Auman in memory of their parents, Edith and Reiner Auman, z”l, יונה בן צדוק ז״ל & אסתר ע״ה בת […]

The Mitzvah of Hallel

April 20, 2023, by

with a short digression on Yom HaShoah Delivered at the OU Israel Center, 27 Nisan 5783 – April 18, 2023 Rabbi Breitowitz’s Tuesday Shiur is sponsored for the 2023 academic year by Rabbi Refoel and Sharon Auman in memory of their parents, Edith and Reiner Auman, z”l יונה בן צדוק ז״ל & אסתר ע״ה בת […]

To Kiss, To Dance, To Be One

September 20, 2021, by

To kiss is to express intimacy; to dance is to fill space with movement, with passion and joy.  In small and large ways, to kiss and to dance are ways to express love and devotion, two sentiments at the heart of the Simchat Torah celebration. Torah is our most precious possession, our gift.  To our […]

Dancing and Clapping on Shabbat and Yom Tov

September 1, 2021, by

In the last shiur we looked at showering on Yom Tov and the tricky question of whether the halacha, as laid down by the Gemara and the Shulchan Aruch, is still unchanged today, give the different reality of bathing habits in the 21st Century. In this shiur we will engage with the issue of dancing […]

Showering on Yom Tov

August 26, 2021, by

In today’s world, where many people shower at least once daily, not showering can be a cause of discomfort. Where there are two days of Yom Tov – such as a Rosh Hashana in all places or other Chagim in chu’l, this concern is deepened. In some cases there can be three days of Chag […]

Haftarah Helper – Simchat Torah

Download PDF Joshua 1:1-18 The Haftarah picks up immediately after Moses’s death in today’s Torah reading. Joshua takes the reins of leadership with multiple tasks before him, including crossing the Jordan River and conquering the land of Canaan.  He must also ensure that the two and a half tribes whom Moshe permitted to settle the […]

Chag at Home

September 9, 2020, by

Pursuant to our acclaimed “Sinai at Home” program, OU Torah Initiatives is proud to present Chag at Home, a way for all of us to get our holiday inspiration in this pandemic era. Chag at Home features dozens of packets of educational material – articles, source sheets, family discussions, and more – to enable individuals […]