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Rav Bendavid, Shabbat Chazon 5786 Over the past few weeks, our community has had four shiva homes. Many people have come to pay shiva calls, and that is deeply appreciated by the families. But attendance at several of the shiva minyanim has been lower than it should be. I know it's vacation season. People are away, and sometimes the family isn't someone we know particularly well. Still, I feel a responsibility to write about this, because I believe it touches on one of the mo

Parshat Matot-Maasei 5786 I’m writing this dvar Torah from the Gush, where Aryeh Lev and I have been studying Torah for the last few days. It has been an extraordinary experience. At first, I had doubts about going. Would we succeed in learning together all day? Would he be able to sit for so long? Would I be able to sit for so long?! But when I asked him whether he was interested in coming with me to yeshiva and he answered, emphatically, “Yes,” my doubts fell away. During o

Today, as we fast on Shivah Asar b'Tammuz, we commemorate not only the breaching of the walls of Jerusalem by the Romans, but also two tragedies that strike at the heart of Torah itself - Moshe Rabbeinu's shattering of the Luchot after חטא העגל, and the burning of a Sefer Torah by Apostomus. What is the takeaway message from this fast? The breaking of the Luchot and burning of the Torah remind us that even the Torah itself can become entangled in Chillul Hashem. Against th

I've decided that for the next one hundred days, from now through Simchat Torah, I'm going to stop drinking alcohol. This is not because alcohol is forbidden, nor because I think everyone else should do the same. In fact, this isn't really about alcohol at all. Alcohol simply happens to be the area in which I've decided to challenge myself. To be clear, I don't drink very much alcohol in the first place, it's simply an area where I've decided to challenge myself because I thi

How we enter a space often determines what we experience once we are inside. Think about the difference between walking into your living room, entering a gym, a shiva house, or stepping into a hospital room. Each space evokes a different mindset, different expectations, and different behavior. What about when we walk into shul? Do we consciously transition from the outside world into a holy space, or do we simply carry the noise, distractions, conversations, and concerns of d

Let’s Have an Intimate Conversation Can we talk about having an intimate conversation? For many people, even hearing the word “intimacy” makes them feel a little embarrassed, nervous, or squirmy. And if you actually start asking questions that require someone to reveal a part of themselves — to be vulnerable, to share something private — the discomfort can rise even more. But the truth is that deep relationships depend on exactly that kind of vulnerability. To build trust, c

“Blessed with Everything” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xalO8z07f4

A short idea on the parsha dedicated to all our חיילים גיבורים and the רפואה שלימה of Noam Taragin - נעם אברהם בן עטרה שלומית💪🇮🇱שבת...

Dedicated to all our חיילים גיבורים 💪🇮🇱 שבת שלום! https://youtu.be/PBK_fh3aats?si=VpRVYhiDhfxBTDoK

Please enjoy this short parsha insight. https://youtu.be/P_xtiqjXqCs?si=zCwKusOxewqzyodb

Short idea on the Parsha here: https://youtu.be/aZPTw-njFuk?feature=shared Dear Community, As you know we’ve embarked on a transformative...

Were the meraglim evil or weak? https://youtu.be/0vfNk1IrAYg?si=GPLS0y88GdZmKK8R

Dear Shivtei Shavuot was outstanding. Kol Hakavod to the many members of our community who taught Torsh throughout tikkun leil. Thank you...

Rabbi Eitan Bendavid https://youtu.be/5EqAZjC7goA?feature=shared

An important (updated) message by Rabbanit Etta Bendavid about how to safely immerse in the mikvah during the Corona crisis. Please reach ou