Sukkot 5781 Meir Sendor The mitzvah of the Four Species on Sukkot is to take one Lulav, three branches of myrtle leaves and two branches of willow leaves bound together in your dominant hand, and the Etrog in your other…
Total Immersion
Yom Kippur 5781 Meir Sendor ישעיהו פרק כד (י) נשברה קרית תהו סגר כל בית מבוא: The confused city is broken, every house is locked down so none shall enter (Is. 24:10). The prophet Yeshayahu knew about lockdowns, and…
Choose Life
Parashat Nitzavim/ VaYelekh 5780 Meir Sendor You would think this would be an easy choice: דברים פרק ל (יט) העדתי בכם היום את השמים ואת הארץ החיים והמות נתתי לפניך הברכה והקללה ובחרת בחיים למען תחיה אתה וזרעך: I…
Hard Knocks
Parashat Ki Tavo 5780 Meir Sendor Last week we got together with family for an outing before the grandchildren return to school in this challenging time of pandemic. We met at one of the national archeological parks that we figured…
We are All in this Together
Parashat Ki Teze 5780 Meir Sendor During this month of Elul we try to work on ourselves and our relationships with God and with each other in preparation for Rosh HaShanah. According to Rabbi David Abudarham (Abudarham, Tefillat Rosh HaShanah,…
New Normal
On Tuesday nights, August 25, September 1, 8, 15; 8PM Israel time The month of Elul, in preparation for Rosh HaShanah, Yom Kippur and Sukkot, is dedicated to introspective self-improvement, and there are traditional Jewish meditation practices that can be…
Knowledge is Compassion
Parashat Re’eh 5780 Meir Sendor The pandemic is having devastating global impact on people’s livelihoods as well as health, and both aspects of the crisis are life-threatening. Israel finds itself struggling to balance the need to restrict social interaction to…
The Key to Our Hearts
Parashat Ekev 5780 Meir Sendor This week we celebrated the birthdays of two of our grandchildren and son with an intercontinental family video gathering at the Bagel & Locks Israel Quest. This is an interactive Israeli website featuring virtual journeys…
In the Blink of an Eye
Tisha B’Av – Parashat VaEtchanan 5780 Meir Sendor In our daily prayers, three times a day, we ask HaShem to “return the divine service to the innermost sanctum of Your House, and the fire offerings of Israel and their prayers…
Where Art Thou?
Parashat Devarim, Shabbat Hazon 5780 Meir Sendor The Mishnah says “When the month of Av enters, decrease joyfulness (Ta’anit 4:6)” This year it won’t be much of a stretch to get in the mood – but will we get the…
