For the love of Israel

Jul 24 2019

For the love of Israel

It's that time of year again. The seasons of life just flow. Happy times, sad times, introspective times and time of liberation. This is how the Jewish calendar flows as well. This past Shabbos we entered into the period known as the three weeks in which we commemorate the events leading up to and the destruction of Jerusalem. Jerusalem of course represents the essence of Israel and all it stood for and continues to stand for. See last years series on Israel here (Israel 2018 – Why Israel?, Israel 2448*, Israel...

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Jul 18 2018

Israel 2018 and Beyond

Change, Israel, Rebuilding, Three Weeks

by Chabad Intown

In recent articles we've established the roots of Israel in the Torah and presented its centrality to Jewish tradition and faith. It is because of these, the "why" of Israel, that Israel and the Beit Hamikdash, the Temples in Jerusalem, occupy such a significant part of Jewish life and liturgy. This is also the reason why the destruction of Jerusalem, commemorated these weeks and culminating with Tisha B'av, this Shabbos/Sunday are such intensely sad days. It's not the stones we mourn but the exile that the destruction brought to the world...

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Jul 03 2018

Israel 2018 – Why Israel?

Israel, Three Weeks

by Chabad Intown

The Torah told us 3300 years ago that we are the smallest among the nations. Not much has changed in that regard since then. And as the Jewish People have faced anti-semitism we continue to do so today. There are many important organizations engaged in Israel advocacy from political (AIPAC) to experiential (Birthright) to religious (many Yeshiva recruiters). All of them are focused on the "how". Underlying every how must be a why for the cause to be sustainable. As Victor Frankl famously said "those who have a why to live...

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Aug 10 2016

Google’s Temple

Moshiach, Three Weeks, Uncategorized

by Chabad Intown

It's well known that Google is data driven. When the brains at Google sit down to discuss new products they have rules of engagement. Essentially, there are no opinions only facts supported by data. If you can bring proof from data you can move forward with your product development, if not then it's out. There are no heated passionate discussions of personal opinions because it's all about the facts. A breath of fresh air. No politics. No defensiveness. Wouldn't it be nice if the facts spoke for themselves? Always! This Shabbos we commemorate...

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Jul 22 2015

Come Out of Your Hiding Place

Tammuz, Three Weeks

by Rabbi Schusterman

A full three weeks of our year-the three weeks "between the strictures" of Tammuz 17 (July 4) and Av 9 (July 26)- are designated as a time of mourning over the destruction of the Holy Temple and the resultant galut-physical exile and spiritual displacement-in which we still find ourselves. Read more at Chabad.org. We all yearn and pine for our parents approval, their love and validation. Ask anybody who was born and they’ll tell you about some issue they have with their mother or father. “My mother didn’t express her love...

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Jul 16 2015

What is the destination?

Moshiach, Three Weeks

by Rabbi Schusterman

We leave Egypt so that we can enter Israel but we get "stuck" in the desert for 40 years and travel 42 journey's during that time (can you imagine needing to move homes that many times in that many years?!). It is the story of our lives. We leave the Egypt (narrow and limiting places) of the mother's womb to enter into the big world with the destination being Israel - a place of purpose and communion with the Almighty. Along the way we end up with many journey's, not all...

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Three Weeks