Moshe’s Leadership Was a Team Effort Between Himself and Hashem

By Kayla Kupietzky-

Sefer Shemot is filled with lessons that we can apply to our lives. 

In Parshat Shemot, When Hashem revealed himself to Moshe at the burning bush, He told Moshe to confront Pharaoh and tell him to let Bnei Yisrael be free (3:10); essentially asking Moshe to assume the role as the leader of Bnei Yisrael. Moshe immediately responded that he was not the right person to accomplish Hashem’s request because he was of no importance: “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and free Bnei Yisrael from Egypt” (3:11).

The influence of our Avot and Eimahot

By Kayla Kupietzky-

    The coronavirus pandemic has halted normal life, but it has also brought an unexpected light, unity, and selflessness into our communities. This light and kindness was taught to us by our forefathers and foremothers years ago, whose values of hachnasat orchim and gemilut chasidim show us how to infuse selflessness into our lives despite trying times.

Lessons for the New Year

By Sarah Friedman-

Shanah Tova! The holidays are approaching with Rosh Hashanah to initiate the new year.  It is a holiday of many names from the “Holiday of Remembering” to the “Holiday of Judgement,” the “Birthday of Creation,” and the “Sound of a Shofar.” From all of these names and our understanding of Jewish knowledge, what does the holiday of Rosh Hashanah mean to us? First, the birthday of the world teaches us that life is short and precious. As we learn in the powerful poem of Unitaneh Tokef, we will not achieve everything in the world during our lifetime. This poem should not make us depressed nor unmotivated, but rather excited to keep growing and working on what we can accomplish. 

Additions to Davening

By Donny Zeller-

The Geonim determined that certain phrases should be added in the Amidah prayer. In the bracha of Avos, the phrase of Zachrenu L’Chaim… is added in the days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. In the second blessing, the phrase Mi Chamocha… is added. In the last three blessings of the Amidah prayer, the phrase Uchitov L’Chayim Tovim…. And the phrase B’Sefer Chayim Bracha V’Shalom are inserted.