PESACH 5779
STAM TORAH SECOND DAY OF PESACH 5779 “WHOSE STORY”[1] The second day of Pesach is the yahrtzeit, of an important individual who had an indelible impact upon the Jewish people, not just for his generation but for all time. It’s hard to imagine what the world and the Jewish people would look like without him. […]
PARSHAS METZORA/HAGADOL 5779
STAM TORAH PARSHAS METZORA/HAGADOL 5779 “TOUCHING ETERNITY”[1] Jean Francois Gravelot, better known as “Blondin”, is considered the greatest tightrope walker of all time. On June 30, 1859, he became the first person to successfully walk across the Niagara Gorge. During that summer, Blondin completed eight more crossings. The following year, on September 15, 1860, he again […]
PARSHAS TAZRIA/HACHODESH 5779
STAM TORAH PARSHAS TAZRIA/HACHODESH 5779 “SPEECH MATTERS”[1] TED Talk delivered by Mark Bezos[2]: “I’m a volunteer firefighter in Scarsdale NY. In Scarsdale, the professional firefighters are always on duty, and they are the first responders. After they are already on their way to the fire, the volunteers are called as well. Because we are supplementing […]
PARSHAS SHEMINI/PARAH 5779
STAM TORAH PARSHAS SHEMINI/PARAH 5779 “UNDAUNTED”[1] From mourning to mission: Miriam Peretz, a mother of all the boys By Deborah Fineblum/JNS.org Before 1998, Miriam Peretz’s life was rather ordinary. She and her husband were living in the same house in the Jerusalem suburb of Givat Ze’ev where they’d been for many years. Her work as […]
PURIM/SHUSHAN PURIM PARSHAS TZAV 5779
STAM TORAH PURIM/SHUSHAN PURIM PARSHAS TZAV 5779 “FANNING THE FLAMES”[1] Randy Pausch, a computer science professor, was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer in September 2006. On September 18, 2007, he delivered an inspiring lecture entitled “The Last Lecture: Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams“. The video of the lecture went viral and has been viewed by millions. Pausch […]
PARSHAS VAYIKRA/ZACHOR/PURIM 5779
STAM TORAH PARSHAS VAYIKRA/ZACHOR/PURIM 5779 “INDOMITABLE SPIRIT”[1] A fellow meets his elderly neighbor Bernie, one afternoon, and they begin conversing. Bernie starts telling his neighbor about a new class he and his wife were taking. “You know, how we are getting older, and sometimes we tend to forget details, events, and even names. So, we’re […]
PARSHAS PEKUDEI 5779
STAM TORAH PARSHAS PEKUDEI 5779 “HERO MENTALITY”[1] NYT – The Real Victims of Victimhood By Arthur C. Brooks Dec. 26, 2015 …“Victimhood culture” has now been identified as a widening phenomenon by mainstream sociologists… So who cares if we are becoming a culture of victimhood? We all should. To begin with, victimhood makes it more and more difficult […]
PARSHAS VAYAKHEL-SHEKALIM 5779
STAM TORAH PARSHAS VAYAKHEL-SHEKALIM 5779 “GET INVOLVED”[1] Mr. Alan Rosenstock is the President of Tomchei Shabbos in Rockland County. One morning a few years ago, when I was still a rebbe there, Mr. Rosenstock spoke to the students of Ashar. I was very moved by his message, the gist of which follows: “I often ask […]
PARSHAS KI SISA 5779
STAM TORAH PARSHAS KI SISA 5779 “HURRIED OR HARRIED”[1] Quebec man told his $13.5M winning lottery ticket void because he was seven seconds late The Canadian Press, January 29, 2015 MONTREAL — A lot can happen in seven seconds. Just ask the Quebec man who says that brief period cost him $13.5 million. Joel Ifergan […]
PARSHAS TETZAVEH – PURIM KATAN 5779
STAM TORAH PARSHAS TETZAVEH – PURIM KATAN 5779 “A BRAZEN CELEBRATION”[1] Arnie and Ethel were married for fifty-six years. Ethel finally convinced Arnie that fifty-five years after their honeymoon, it was time for him to take her on vacation for a few days. During their vacation, they ate lunch in a restaurant. When they got […]