28 Elul 5778 – Nitzavim
Important Message I want this Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur to be as inspiring and transformative as possible. But as you know, in life, you only get out as much as the effort that you put in. We must prepare ourselves for these upcoming days of Awe. So it
21 Elul 5778 – Ki Tavo
Highlight of my Rabbinic career This past Sunday I took part in an event that was one of the great highlights of my Rabbinic career. This event was the completion of a Torah scroll and its subsequent dedication at our Shule in honour of our 70th anniversary celebrations. This
14 Elul 5778 – Ki Tetzei
Over Shabbat I look forward to sharing with you various ideas surrounding the makings of and importance of our holy Torah as we prepare for our Torah dedication this Sunday. I hope to see you all there! Here is a thought that I will be exploring over Shabbat. Let's start
7 Elul 5778 – Shoftim
Pursuing justice is an important quality that the Torah emphasises in this week's Parasha, Shoftim. Not only must citizens adhere to this important moral code, so must a city's leaders. Even a King had to ensure that he had two Torah scrolls written for him - one that would be
9 Av 5778 – Devarim
What is our response to tragedy? This Shabbat is actually Tisha B'av, the saddest day on the Jewish calendar. It is on this day that many of our greatest tragedies took place, most famously, the destruction of the first and second Temples. As Tisha B'av falls out on Shabbat
24 Tammuz 5778 – Pinchas
Is Jewish Law always BLACK and WHITE? Well, if you read the beginning of this week's Parasha it definitely seems so! Pinchas witnesses a plague engulfing the Jewish people as a result of immoral behaviour. Young Jewish men have strayed after Midianite women. Zimri, a leader of one of
17 Tammuz 5778 – Balak
THERE CAN BE MEANING AMIDST THE MADNESS We recite his words every morning upon entering a Synagogue: "Mah Tovu ohalecha yaakov.. How goodly are your tents, Jacob; your tents, Israel" (Bamidbar 24:5). Some of the most beautiful blessings towards our nation came out of the mouth of a Jew-hating
10 Tammuz 5778 – Chukat
Do we sometimes strike our kids instead of speaking to them? Are we sometimes harsh with others, where tenderness and soft-spokenness would be more appropriate? While we in Sydney, Australia have been blessed with an abundance of rain, the Jews in this week's Parasha are crying out to Moshe for
3 Tamuz 5778 – Korach
Elie Wiesel saw the most horrific sights the human eye could endure. This very individual who refused to marry and have children feeling that it is unfair to bring Jewish children into such a cruel and brutal world ultimately rebuilt his life from the ashes, created a family, and become a