This Week in edJEWcation

Ok. Week 2. I’ve got this.

I hope you enjoyed this week’s episode about the wonderful novel Frankenstein. As Jay mentioned on the podcast, my dad and I were both initially skeptical about reading the book, but I absolutely loved it. The discussion was rich, thought-provoking, and so interesting!

There's actually a Jewish version of a Frankenstein-like story that predates the novel itself: the tale of the Golem of Prague. When I was in 6th grade, we would walk over to Rabbi Rodman’s house (he was our teacher at the time) every Saturday afternoon, and he would read one chapter of the Golem story to us. We looked forward to it all week.

Here are some links where you can learn more about the Maharal of Prague and the Golem.

Who or What is the Golem?

Who was the Maharal Of Prague

This week’s Torah portion is Yitro. In this parsha, the Jewish people gather at Mount Sinai, and Moses delivers the Ten Commandments. This moment is a huge turning point in the Torah—it’s really the climax of the whole story so far. It’s when God and the Jewish people officially solidify their covenant. God promises to look after the Jews, and in return, the people agree to follow the commandments and live by the laws God sets for them.

But the significance goes beyond just the rules themselves. The Ten Commandments are about creating a deeper connection and responsibility between God and the Jewish people. It’s the moment when they go from being slaves in Egypt to becoming a nation with a purpose, guided by these laws.

This parsha really sets the foundation for everything that comes after in the Torah. It’s the start of something big, and those commandments continue to influence the Jewish community to this day.

Please enjoy this version of Moses and the 10 Commandments:

Moses and the 15 Commandments

PICTURE OF THE WEEK:

Here’s the special board I made for my Hillel students this week to celebrate Tu B’Shvat! For those who didn’t know, the 15th of Shvat (which was yesterday) is the "New Year of the Trees." We celebrate by snacking on new fruit and, of course, enjoying the 7 special species of Israel: figs, dates, grapes, pomegranates, wheat, barley, and olives. Honestly, tell me again how Judaism isn’t totally tied to the land of Israel when the entire holiday revolves around fruit from there... Seems like a pretty strong connection to me! 🌳🍇🍊

OK… one more picture of the week:

Here is some swag inspired by Kanye West. I particularly like the mug.

Shabbat Shalom and may all the hostages be released this week and the war come to an end!