The Three Week Challenge by Erica Brown

There are certain features of an Orthodox life that you don’t expect non-Orthodox people to know or observe. If you’ve never heard of cholent, you’re not likely to encounter it on a cable food program any time soon. If you haven’t heard of the prohibition of tearing toilet paper on Shabbat or the intricacies of [...]

The Scholar-in-Residence Shabbat: Its Educational Benefits and Challenges by Erica Brown

The scholar-in-residence Shabbat is often regarded as the crowning achievement of adult education committees in synagogues throughout the country. While synagogues of every denomination continue to offer weekly classes, the popularity of the scholar-in-residence weekend has become a distinct trend in congregational education. We all remember the days, not so long ago, when it was [...]

For the Sin of Hillul Hashem…

For the Sin of Hillul Hashem… by Erica Brown              Reflecting on Yom Kippur just days ago, it strikes me that the language of our al chet list can seem alien, foreign, stiff and archaic. We wonder what it means that we have removed a yoke from us or scoffed or hardened our hearts. We [...]