By Rabbi Justin Pines, MS Mashgiach Ruchani On a hot summer day, is the first bite of an ice cream good or bad? What about a new pair of Yeezys? Or hustling for a loose ball in a Ramaz 7th grade basketball semifinal game and calling timeout before you fall out of bounds ? Or working really hard on a project? Or successfully going to the bathroom?...

By Rabbi Justin Pines, MS Mashgiach Ruchani This Shabbat, the Shabbat before Purim, is Shabbat Zachor. We have a Torah mitzvah to remember Amalek and what they did to us, and, as a special maftir, our brothers and sisters around the world will publicly read of the mitzvah to remember and wipe out Amalek, as we prepare to read the story of Haman...

By Avi F. (Grade 6) In this week's parasha, פרשת ויקרא, we learn all about the work of the כהנים, and how to bring korbanot. At the beginning of the parasha, we learn from what group of animals you have to bring the korbanot. It has to be tame animals, like a sheep or cow, and it could not be an animal that you set aside for Avoda Zara. We also learn about...

By Eva G. (Grade 7) In this week's parasha, Parashat Vayakhel, Moshe tells the people what they should contribute to the building of the Mishkan. They will need to bring precious metals, wool in colors, such as royal blue and crimson, linen, and goat hair. Moshe then explains exactly what everything will be used for. The second perek is about the nation's contributions, and from the third onwards, it starts talking about the construction itself. Vayakhel is incredibly detailed...