Parashah D'varim
Try to imagine Moses as he stands with the Israelites on the other side of the Jordan looking into the Promised Land; the land he will not be allowed to enter.
fredi Bleeker Franks
Voices of WRJ: Ki Tisa
This week’s Parashah, Ki Tisa, is chock full of good stuff. It includes directions for the first census, God’s additional instructions for building the tabernacle, rules for keeping Shabbat, and the golden calf episode and its aftermath. We see God’s anger...
WRJ Voices: B'midbar
B’midbar, or "in the wilderness," is the name of both this week's Torah portion, the opening chapters of the Book of Numbers, and the fourth book of the Hebrew Bible. The Torah portion centers around two census counts ordered by God. The first count is the...
First Impressions of Home: Women’s Journey to Israel
There were so many details to work out - work budgets, social plans for my husband, flights and hotel for graduations, two weddings to plan for - that I really did not have time to think about my upcoming trip. Even at the airport waiting to board I did not...
Voices of WRJ: Parashat Korach
In this week’s parashah, Korach, Moses’s cousin, and his followers lead a rebellion against the leadership of Moses and Aaron. God punishes the rebels by burying them and their families alive. The people blame Moses and Aaron for bringing death to the rebels. Once again, God brings a plague on the people and so the chief of each tribe deposits his staff inside the Tent of Meeting. Aaron’s staff brings forth sprouts, produces blossoms, and bears almonds. The Kohanim and Levites are established and assigned the responsibility of managing the donations to the Sanctuary. This is the third time that I have delved into the story of Korach and this time, I found different meaning about how to handle conflicts and reach a consensus that works for all.