Nachas & Drash

The Long and Winding Road

Naso, love and The Beatles? You bet they’re a match! Travel with me along the long and winding road of this week’s Portion.

Say Cheese, It’s Shavuot!

Life is like a cheese platter – my (cheesy) musings as Shavuot 5783 approaches and how cheese and life go hand-in-hand.

Like Sands Through the Hourglass, So Does Every Grain Count

As the saying (and soap opera tagline) goes, “Like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of our lives.” It’s a poetic way of saying that life is short. We know that, though. We don’t need a soap opera tagline to remind us. Or do we?

Hold The Elevator! Vayeitzei

You’re running late for an interview. You’ve navigated traffic, finally found a parking spot and now you’re sprinting into the building. You cry out, “Hold the elevator!” A kind soul holds open the door and promptly asks “up or down?” And just for a second, a sneaky-see-the-bigger-vision-you-have-a-dream second, you say “going up, please.” Because, forContinue reading “Hold The Elevator! Vayeitzei”

Food For Thought; Soup For The Soul… Toldot

Esau said to Jacob, “Pour me some of that red stuff for I am exhausted.”Jacob said, “Sell your birthright to me.”Esau said, “I am going to die, so of what use to me is a birthright?” Genesis 25:30-32 Why would Esau offer up his birthright, something worth an insurmountable amount monetarily and spiritually, for aContinue reading “Food For Thought; Soup For The Soul… Toldot“

**Matchmaker, Matchmaker, Where’s My Beshert?**

With long work hours, busy lives and let’s not forget a pandemic, it’s no surprise that more people are looking for love in different places. Yet, studies show that this type of matchmaking is resulting in long-term commitment less often. Relationships aren’t easy. After all, you have to do them with someone else. Relationships andContinue reading “Matchmaker, Matchmaker, Where’s My Beshert?“

You’ve Just Got To Do Your Bit – Vayeira

“Man plans and G-d laughs.” It’s one of my favourite Yiddish sayings. How often have you made great plans only to watch them whirl down the drain? Ever dreamed big, only to realise it was, quite literally, just a dream? Have you gotten excited about a particular ambition and then, shock and surprise, you feltContinue reading “You’ve Just Got To Do Your Bit – Vayeira“

Journey Beyond The Quiet And You Will Find Your Purpose – Lech Lecha

G-d said to Abraham “go for yourself from your land, from your relatives and from your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation. I will bless you, and make your name great, and you shall be a blessing.” (Lech Lecha, 12:1-2) This isContinue reading “Journey Beyond The Quiet And You Will Find Your Purpose – Lech Lecha“

Ride The Crashing Waves Towards The River Of Tranquillity

We know the story. The world’s gone off the rails, G-d’s had enough. Enter giant flood. But wait, there’s a guy that G-d’s got His eye on – Noah. G-d instructs Noah to build an ark and pack it with selections of every animal on earth and use the big boat to ride out theContinue reading “Ride The Crashing Waves Towards The River Of Tranquillity“

Endings Make For Perfect Beginnings – Bereshit

Beginnings are difficult. This sounds like an oxymoron, right? But think about it. Not only do beginnings demand a whole lot of self-motivation and discipline that forces us out of complacency; beginnings are often the result of endings. And that means that even more than discipline and motivation, they require fortitude and courage. The NewContinue reading “Endings Make For Perfect Beginnings – Bereshit”