Parshat Bereshit - October 29, 2016
In 6 days, God speaks the world into existence. After all that work, God rests on the very first Shabbat. The first humans, Adam and Eve live in a wonderful paradise, the Garden of Eden. God allows them to do anything they want except they are not allowed to eat the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge. Adam and Eve disobey God and eat the fruit, so they are kicked out of paradise. Adam and Eve have two sons: Cain and Abel. Cain becomes jealous of his brother and kills him.
Parshat Noah - November 5, 2016
Human beings do not treat each other well. They are behaving so badly that God decides to send a big flood to the earth wipe out all the wicked people. The only righteous (good) people on earth is Noah and his family. God tells Noah and his family to build an ark (a BIG boat) to survive the flood. They will also take a pair of every kind of animal on the boat so they can survive the flood too. When the skies clear and the rain stops, Noah offer a sacrifice to God to show his gratitude for making it through the flood.
Parshat Lech Lecha - November 12, 2016
God tells Avram to leave everything he's ever known and set out on a long journey. If he agrees, God will make Avram's descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky. Avram and his wife Sarai trust God and travel all the way to Cana'an. Avram and Sarai desperately want to have children, but they can't. Sarai tells Avram to try to have children with her maidservant, Hagar, so that God's promise can be fulfilled. Hagar and Avram have a son, Ishmael. God promises that Avram will have another son with Sarai. God changes Avram's name to "Avraham" and Sarai's to "Sarah" to show that they have a special relationship with God.
Parshat Vayeira - November 19, 2016
Three angels appear to Avraham and Sarah. Avraham and Sarah are generous hosts. The angels tell them that they will have a son named Isaac. God tells Avraham that there is a city so wicked, God is going to destroy it. Avraham bargains with God trying to save the city. Isaac is born and Sarah dislikes the way Ishmael, his half brother, plays with him. She convinces Avraham to send Ishmael and his mother, Hagar, away. After Hagar leaves with her son, an angel finds her and comforts her. The angel tells her that Ishmael will be the father of a great nation. Modern day Muslims trace their lineage back to Ishmael. God puts Avraham to the test and tells him to sacrifice his beloved son, Isaac. Just as Avraham is about to sacrifice Isaac, an angel stops him and Isaac is saved.
Parshat Chayyei Sarah - November 26, 2016
Sarah is 120 years old when she passes away. Avraham and Isaac are very sad to say goodbye to her. Avraham sends his trusted servant out to find a wife for Isaac. The servant brings back the perfect woman, Rebecca. She is smart, kind and beautiful. They fall in love and get married. Avraham passes away at the age of 175.
Parshat Toldot - December 3, 2016
Isaac and Rebecca have twin sons, Jacob and Esau. Esau is older and bigger. He likes to hunt and be outside. Jacob is quieter and more of a homebody. Back then, the oldest son got two very special things: a Birthright and a Blessing. One day, Esau comes home from a long hunt and complained that he was starving. Jacob offers to give his brother a bowl of soup if Esau sells him his Birthright. Esau agrees. Isaac grows old and becomes mostly blind. As Isaac feels death approaching, he tells his wife Rebecca to get Esau so Isaac can give him the special Blessing. Instead, Rebecca tells Jacob to trick Isaac and pretend he is Esau to receive the Blessing. Their plan works. When Esau finds out Jacob stole the Blessing, Esau is so mad he threatens to kill Jacob. Jacob runs away to escape his angry brother.
Parshat Vayetze - December 10, 2016
While running away from his brother, Esau, Jacob has a dream where he sees angels climbing up and down a heavenly ladder. This is known as "Jacob's Ladder". On his journey, he meets an extraordinary woman, Rachel, and decides he wants to marry her. Rachel's father, Lavan agrees as long as Jacob works seven years for him. Jacob works hard as a shepherd for Lavan for seven years to marry Rachel. After their wedding though, Jacob realizes that he has been tricked! Instead of marrying Rachel, he married her older sister, Leah. Lavan says that Jacob can still marry Rachel, but he must work another seven years. He agrees. Leah and Rachel give birth to many children. Jacob decides to return to the land he comes from and apologize to his brother, Esau, for stealing the Blessing.
Parshat Vayishlach - December 17, 2016
Jacob is nervous to see his brother again knowing how angry he was when he left. The night before they are to meet, Jacob has a strange encounter with a mysterious figure. It might be a person or an angel, the Torah doesn't make this clear. Jacob wrestles with this mysterious figure all night. As morning approaches, Jacob finally wins, but not before the figure injures his leg. Jacob is forever changed. Not just because he will always walk with a limp, but also because the figure gives him a new name, Israel, which means "One who wrestles with God". When Jacob/Israel finally sees Esau again, he apologizes and Esau forgives him. They part on good terms. As Jacob/Israel and his family begin to make their new home, Rachel tragically dies while giving birth to her younger son, Benjamin.
Parshat Vayeshev -December 24, 2016
Jacob/Israel had many children, but he loved Joseph, his oldest son from Rebecca, the most. He gave Joseph a beautiful, multi colored coat. Joseph was a dreamer. His brothers grew jealous of Joseph because of how his father treated him and because of his dreams. They decided to sell him into slavery. Joseph was taken to Egypt as a slave. The brothers told Jacob/Israel that Joseph had been killed. Jacob/Israel was heartbroken at the news. In Egypt, Joseph's new master sends him to jail over a misunderstanding. In jail, Joseph successfully interprets the dreams of two prisoners.
Parshat Miketz -December 31, 2016
Pharaoh has two strange dreams and he wants an interpreter. Joseph is brought to him and he successfully interprets the dreams. Egypt will have seven years of good farming followed by seven years of famine. Pharaoh makes Joseph a powerful Egyptian official. He will oversee collecting and storing food during the seven years of plenty so that the people in Egypt will have enough during the seven years of famine. When the famine begins, only Egypt is prepared. Jacob/Israel, still in Cana'an, does not have enough food for his family. He sends his sons to Egypt to request food from the Egyptian official in charge. All of Joseph's brothers come to ask for food except the youngest, Benjamin. When they arrive, they do not recognize Joseph now that he is a powerful Egyptian official, but Joseph recognizes them. Joseph decides to test his brothers to see if they have truly changed. Joseph agrees to give the brothers the food if they bring Benjamin to him in Egypt. After much convincing, Jacob/Israel allows Benjamin to go. As part of the test, Joseph plants an expensive cup in Benjamin's bag and accuses Benjamin of stealing it.
Parshat Vayigash - January 7, 2017
Judah, one of Joseph's brothers, volunteers to be punished instead of Benjamin. Judah says that after losing his son, Joseph, their father would never recover if he also lost Benjamin. Joseph sees that his brothers have changed and reveals his true identity. Jacob/Israel goes to Egypt with the rest of his family and is reunited with Joseph.
Parshat Vayechi - January 14, 2017
Before Jacob dies, he gives each of his sons different blessings. Joseph rules in Egypt for many years before passing away. The children of Israel begin to grow from one family into a small nation of people.
In 6 days, God speaks the world into existence. After all that work, God rests on the very first Shabbat. The first humans, Adam and Eve live in a wonderful paradise, the Garden of Eden. God allows them to do anything they want except they are not allowed to eat the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge. Adam and Eve disobey God and eat the fruit, so they are kicked out of paradise. Adam and Eve have two sons: Cain and Abel. Cain becomes jealous of his brother and kills him.
Parshat Noah - November 5, 2016
Human beings do not treat each other well. They are behaving so badly that God decides to send a big flood to the earth wipe out all the wicked people. The only righteous (good) people on earth is Noah and his family. God tells Noah and his family to build an ark (a BIG boat) to survive the flood. They will also take a pair of every kind of animal on the boat so they can survive the flood too. When the skies clear and the rain stops, Noah offer a sacrifice to God to show his gratitude for making it through the flood.
Parshat Lech Lecha - November 12, 2016
God tells Avram to leave everything he's ever known and set out on a long journey. If he agrees, God will make Avram's descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky. Avram and his wife Sarai trust God and travel all the way to Cana'an. Avram and Sarai desperately want to have children, but they can't. Sarai tells Avram to try to have children with her maidservant, Hagar, so that God's promise can be fulfilled. Hagar and Avram have a son, Ishmael. God promises that Avram will have another son with Sarai. God changes Avram's name to "Avraham" and Sarai's to "Sarah" to show that they have a special relationship with God.
Parshat Vayeira - November 19, 2016
Three angels appear to Avraham and Sarah. Avraham and Sarah are generous hosts. The angels tell them that they will have a son named Isaac. God tells Avraham that there is a city so wicked, God is going to destroy it. Avraham bargains with God trying to save the city. Isaac is born and Sarah dislikes the way Ishmael, his half brother, plays with him. She convinces Avraham to send Ishmael and his mother, Hagar, away. After Hagar leaves with her son, an angel finds her and comforts her. The angel tells her that Ishmael will be the father of a great nation. Modern day Muslims trace their lineage back to Ishmael. God puts Avraham to the test and tells him to sacrifice his beloved son, Isaac. Just as Avraham is about to sacrifice Isaac, an angel stops him and Isaac is saved.
Parshat Chayyei Sarah - November 26, 2016
Sarah is 120 years old when she passes away. Avraham and Isaac are very sad to say goodbye to her. Avraham sends his trusted servant out to find a wife for Isaac. The servant brings back the perfect woman, Rebecca. She is smart, kind and beautiful. They fall in love and get married. Avraham passes away at the age of 175.
Parshat Toldot - December 3, 2016
Isaac and Rebecca have twin sons, Jacob and Esau. Esau is older and bigger. He likes to hunt and be outside. Jacob is quieter and more of a homebody. Back then, the oldest son got two very special things: a Birthright and a Blessing. One day, Esau comes home from a long hunt and complained that he was starving. Jacob offers to give his brother a bowl of soup if Esau sells him his Birthright. Esau agrees. Isaac grows old and becomes mostly blind. As Isaac feels death approaching, he tells his wife Rebecca to get Esau so Isaac can give him the special Blessing. Instead, Rebecca tells Jacob to trick Isaac and pretend he is Esau to receive the Blessing. Their plan works. When Esau finds out Jacob stole the Blessing, Esau is so mad he threatens to kill Jacob. Jacob runs away to escape his angry brother.
Parshat Vayetze - December 10, 2016
While running away from his brother, Esau, Jacob has a dream where he sees angels climbing up and down a heavenly ladder. This is known as "Jacob's Ladder". On his journey, he meets an extraordinary woman, Rachel, and decides he wants to marry her. Rachel's father, Lavan agrees as long as Jacob works seven years for him. Jacob works hard as a shepherd for Lavan for seven years to marry Rachel. After their wedding though, Jacob realizes that he has been tricked! Instead of marrying Rachel, he married her older sister, Leah. Lavan says that Jacob can still marry Rachel, but he must work another seven years. He agrees. Leah and Rachel give birth to many children. Jacob decides to return to the land he comes from and apologize to his brother, Esau, for stealing the Blessing.
Parshat Vayishlach - December 17, 2016
Jacob is nervous to see his brother again knowing how angry he was when he left. The night before they are to meet, Jacob has a strange encounter with a mysterious figure. It might be a person or an angel, the Torah doesn't make this clear. Jacob wrestles with this mysterious figure all night. As morning approaches, Jacob finally wins, but not before the figure injures his leg. Jacob is forever changed. Not just because he will always walk with a limp, but also because the figure gives him a new name, Israel, which means "One who wrestles with God". When Jacob/Israel finally sees Esau again, he apologizes and Esau forgives him. They part on good terms. As Jacob/Israel and his family begin to make their new home, Rachel tragically dies while giving birth to her younger son, Benjamin.
Parshat Vayeshev -December 24, 2016
Jacob/Israel had many children, but he loved Joseph, his oldest son from Rebecca, the most. He gave Joseph a beautiful, multi colored coat. Joseph was a dreamer. His brothers grew jealous of Joseph because of how his father treated him and because of his dreams. They decided to sell him into slavery. Joseph was taken to Egypt as a slave. The brothers told Jacob/Israel that Joseph had been killed. Jacob/Israel was heartbroken at the news. In Egypt, Joseph's new master sends him to jail over a misunderstanding. In jail, Joseph successfully interprets the dreams of two prisoners.
Parshat Miketz -December 31, 2016
Pharaoh has two strange dreams and he wants an interpreter. Joseph is brought to him and he successfully interprets the dreams. Egypt will have seven years of good farming followed by seven years of famine. Pharaoh makes Joseph a powerful Egyptian official. He will oversee collecting and storing food during the seven years of plenty so that the people in Egypt will have enough during the seven years of famine. When the famine begins, only Egypt is prepared. Jacob/Israel, still in Cana'an, does not have enough food for his family. He sends his sons to Egypt to request food from the Egyptian official in charge. All of Joseph's brothers come to ask for food except the youngest, Benjamin. When they arrive, they do not recognize Joseph now that he is a powerful Egyptian official, but Joseph recognizes them. Joseph decides to test his brothers to see if they have truly changed. Joseph agrees to give the brothers the food if they bring Benjamin to him in Egypt. After much convincing, Jacob/Israel allows Benjamin to go. As part of the test, Joseph plants an expensive cup in Benjamin's bag and accuses Benjamin of stealing it.
Parshat Vayigash - January 7, 2017
Judah, one of Joseph's brothers, volunteers to be punished instead of Benjamin. Judah says that after losing his son, Joseph, their father would never recover if he also lost Benjamin. Joseph sees that his brothers have changed and reveals his true identity. Jacob/Israel goes to Egypt with the rest of his family and is reunited with Joseph.
Parshat Vayechi - January 14, 2017
Before Jacob dies, he gives each of his sons different blessings. Joseph rules in Egypt for many years before passing away. The children of Israel begin to grow from one family into a small nation of people.