CHOCHMAS NASHIM: KI TAVO:  L0 YISHAMAH OD CHAMAS By: Suri Davis לֹא־יִשָּׁמַ֨ע ע֤וֹד חָמָס֙ בְּאַרְצֵ֔ךְ שֹׁ֥ד וָשֶׁ֖בֶר בִּגְבוּלָ֑יִךְ וְקָרָ֤את יְשׁוּעָה֙ חוֹמֹתַ֔יִךְ וּשְׁעָרַ֖יִךְ תְּהִלָּֽה׃ The cry “Violence!” Shall no more be heard in your land, Nor “Wrack and ruin!” Within your borders. And you shall name your walls “Victory” And your gates “Renown.” לֹא־יִֽהְיֶה־לָּ֨ךְ ע֤וֹד הַשֶּׁ֙מֶשׁ֙…

THE CHOICE BY DR. EDITH EVA EGER: FORGIVENESS OPINION: LENORE S. DAVIS   Seven years ago, I read in the New York Times book review of this book, newly published, by a Holocaust survivor in her 90’s, entitled The Choice, so I ordered the book and read it, and it did not resonate with me. …

CHOCHMAS NASHIM: RE’EH: A THIMBLE OR A GALLON? By: Suri Davis I want to hone in on a verse in this week’s torah portion: Deuteronomy 12:28: “Observe and hear all these words which I command you, that it may go well with  you, and with your children after you forever, when you do that which…

CHOCHMAS NASHIM:  I PONDER THE KOTEL/BE’ERI By: Suri Davis   These three weeks, are the beginning of a trajectory of reflection which extends from the Fast of the 17th of Tammuz, through Tisha B’av, going into the shofar blowing starting in Elul, Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, Sukkoth, and the other day on the horizon, which…

B’SD CHOCHMAS NASHIM: BALAK: WHO SHALL I ADMIRE? By: Suri Davis I was in Le Chocolat this morning imbibing, when two lovely women approached me and told me they read the newsletter, they were gracious and charming and lovely, and I wished I had more time to get to know them before I rushed out.…

CHOCHMAS NASHIM: KORACH: ERETZ OCHELET YOSHVEHAH By: Suri Davis The Michaan Edition of the Pentateuch, with Lubavitch commentary has fascinating take on why a torah portion would be named after a person who started a mutiny, Korach.  This torah portion comes after last week’s torah portion of those who “spied” on the land of Israel…

CHOCHMAS NASHIM:  STUCK IN A MUCK…NOT By: Suri Stern     This week’s Torah portion is Behaalotchah, when you rise.   When spring came, my long time sage bush seemed dead, truly dead.  I didn’t have time to uproot it and throw it away, and time passed.  Yes, some of the leaves did die, but…

CHOCHMAS NASHIM: BECHUKOTAI: MY NAME IS BOND By: Suri Davis   This Shabbos, is the blessing of the new month for the Jewish month of Sivan, in which we celebrate the holiday of Shavuoth, celebrating the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai from G-d to Moses and the Jews.  It is a day which…

Chochmas Nashim: Behar: I Thought It Was Shin Bet…It Was G-d’s Direct Hand By: Suri Davis   I have to admit, that when I heard that Iran’s President’s helicopter went down, I thought it was taken down by Shin Bet, Israel’s intelligence service, but it wasn’t, it was G-d’s direct hand, as it was at…

CHOCHMAS NASHIM: EMOR: SPENDING YOM HAATZMAUT AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY’S COMMENCEMENT EXERCISE:  V’HABOR REK AYN BO MAYIM By:  Suri Davis This week’s Torah portion is the parshah of Emor/Say or Convey.  G-d tells Moses to tell Aaron, the high priest, that he and his family shall remain on a holier, more separate level of holiness than…