I can’t …or can I? By: Rabbi Dovid Samuels “The entire world was created for this moment, when a mere mortal, flesh and blood, could create an atmosphere of G-dliness in the lowly physical world.” “Hashem knew that there would come a time where the Jewish people found themselves in a situation where the world was telling us, ‘You can’t!’” There’s a famous fable about a bunch of frogs that fell into a deep pit. With their friends hopping about outside the pit, those inside desperately tried to jump out ..read more

SPIRITUAL EYES And All the People Saw the Thunder “The more one looks, the greater the light becomes, and greater is the insight and understanding of that vision.” The Zohar in Parshat Balak relates the following fascinating story: Rabbi Elazar, Rabbi Abba, and some of their students spent some time in the house of Rabbi Yosi in Pakiyin. There they witnessed first-hand an incident of Techiyas Hamaisim [Resurrection of the Dead]. They then departed to visit the home of Rabbi Elazar’s father-in-law, but the way was long and the sun ..read more

Strap: SAJBD Still here? This is a community worth fighting for By: Wendy Kahn “The celebrations this week were not just for 75 years of Israel. They were also celebrations of South African Jewry.” I often get asked by community members why I am still at the SAJBD 20 years later (in my current job for 17 years). I never miss a beat in responding that it is truly a privilege working for this remarkable South African Jewish community. When I attend conferences with my fellow community leaders from around ..read more

Milchiks and more …and fleishigs for sure! By: Sharon Lurie Shavuot is in the air, and it’s time to bring out our favourite dairy delights. I’m sure many have already frozen a few bakkies of cream cheese in an attempt to avoid the ‘big cream cheese hunt’ we had in Johannesburg this year for Pesach. As a result, I’ve included a really simple recipe to make your own cream cheese so that we may never fear going without this essential Shavuot ingredient again! But don’t forget that Shavuot is a ..read more

“If we learn to use our breath correctly we will develop more inner awareness, we will sleep better, feel better, be able to let go of negative emotions, and feel more in control of our lives.”   Breathe   By: Maria Beider   “Breath is the epicentre of human function.” “Get out of your mind and get into your breath because your breath is the life force.” Did you know that we breathe on average between 20 000 to 26 000 times a day, and most of the time we ..read more

More Cheesecake Please Behind the milchiks By: Dr. Yardena Bauer “Unconditional love cannot be reduced to a pill.” There is no actual mitzvah to eat cheesecake on Shavuot. This came as a shock to me as well. Out of the Shalosh Regalim that is Pesach, Shavuot, and Sukkot – Shavuot is one day and with no Torah-prescribed rituals. Both Pesach and Sukkot are 7 days. Pesach has the seder with all the foods and of course the complete changeover of eating without chametz. Sukkot has the Sukkah and moving outside ..read more

HaKol BeSeder By: Sharon Lurie Pesach, the creative cooking time of the year for some, possibly the simplest for others, but daunting for most. How often do we hear: “I’m not going meshuga for 8 days of the year”? Well, we still have to prepare for two Sedorim, Chol HaMoed, and Shabbos, and let’s not forget our families’ biggest memories in Jewish culture revolve around our festivals and how we share meals. Somehow, we always focus on our traditional Seder meals, so I thought this Pesach I’m giving you a few ..read more

“The only way forward is by forging stronger bonds between regular Israeli Jews, Israeli Arabs, and Palestinians through basic, everyday interactions and real conversations about what matters most to them.” A Critical Message of Hope By: Ilan Preskovsky   As the past months have seen the worst outbreak of violence between Jews and Arabs in Israel in years, it becomes all too easy to lose hope entirely that there will ever be any real peace between the two nations that claim the land as their own. Certainly not for those ..read more

“There’s an awful lot of people who don’t agree with the BDS movement, including us. I don’t agree with the cultural ban at all, along with JK Rowling, Noam Chomsky, and a long list of others.” Celebrities Who Have Resisted BDS By: Ilan Preskovsky Pullquotes: “There’s an awful lot of people who don’t agree with the BDS movement, including us. I don’t agree with the cultural ban at all, along with JK Rowling, Noam Chomsky, and a long list of others.” “I was approached by different groups and political bodies ..read more

“Anxiety is like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do but it doesn’t get you anywhere.” Finding light in this plague of darkness By: Paula Levin I look around me and everyone I talk to is struggling. And not just with usual day-to-day stress of business or family challenges. With big stuff. There’s the barrage of bad news from Ukraine, Turkey, and Syria – human tragedy on a mass scale. An uptick in terror attacks in Israel, leaving shattered families in its wake. Closer to home, South Africa’s ..read more