My siblings and I, throughout our youth, spent the summers in a camp environment, because our father was the Rabbi of Camp Mogen Avraham in the Catskills. There is one memory that the tens of thousands of campers who attended CMA over the 45 years he was its Rabbi, have etched in their minds. It …
Category: Bamidbar
Jul 24
Direct Line!
- By Dovid Saks in 5784, Bamidbar
The Torah records the names and ages of the ten generations from Adam until Noach, and then tells us the names and ages of the ten generations from Noach until Avraham. The Torah then speaks in detail of the lives of Avraham, Yitzchok, Yaacov and the twelve tribes. It tells of their travails and that …
Jul 18
Words!
- By Dovid Saks in 5784, Bamidbar
This past Friday while I was sitting at my desk in my office at the JCC, I overheard a conversation between two teenagers who were sitting right outside my office. I have to tell you, almost every sentence was laced with a four-letter curse. It disturbed me, and as time went on, I realized that …
Jul 11
Courage!
- By Dovid Saks in 5784, Bamidbar
This week’s Parsha records the passing of Miriam and that she was buried in a place called Kadesh on the outskirts of the land of Israel. Miriam was 126 years old. Our Sages tell us that Miriam was buried immediately after she passed away. Commentators point out that Miriam was not suitably eulogized, and therefore, …
Jul 04
Issues!
- By Dovid Saks in 5784, Bamidbar
Last week’s Portion concluded with the third paragraph of the Shema prayer, which speaks of the Mitzvah of Tzitzis/Talis. This week’s Parsha describes the quarrel that Korach had with our leader Moshe. Rashi tells us that Korach was personally incensed that his younger cousin was appointed by Moshe to be a prince while he felt …
Jun 26
Be Happy!
- By Dovid Saks in 5784, Bamidbar
Last week’s Parsha ends with the episode of Miriam who became a Metzoraas – a leper – for speaking Loshon Harah about her brother Moshe. Our great commentator Rashi asks, why does our Parsha, Shelach, which deals with the spies the Jews sent from the desert into Israel, immediately follow the story of Miriam? Rashi …
Jun 20
Second Chance!
- By Dovid Saks in 5784, Bamidbar
In this week’s Parsha the Torah details a few complaints that broke out while the Jews were traveling in the desert. The first came from a group who approached our leader Moshe with sincerity – they had come in contact with a corpse while burying the dead, a condition that precluded them from participation in …
Jun 05
King David!
We will be celebrating the Holiday of Shavuos this coming Wednesday and Thursday. The focal point of the Holiday is that it is the time when G-d proclaimed the Ten Commandments and the entire Jewish people accepted the Torah. Fittingly, we refer to Shavuos in our prayers as, “the time when our Torah was given” …
Jewish Heritage Connection
Rabbi Dovid Saks, Director
601 Jefferson Ave.
Scranton, PA 18510
(570) 346-1321
Shabbat Candle Lighting Time
Shabbat Times for Jan 17, 2025
Scranton, PA US
Parshas Shemos
Candle Lighting Time: 4:42 PM
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Key features by Hebcal.com.
Scranton, PA US
Parshas Shemos
Candle Lighting Time: 4:42 PM
Developed by AdatoSystems.com.
Key features by Hebcal.com.