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Parashat Ha’Azinu | D’varim HaMakom: The JOFEE Fellows Blog

By on September 25, 2017 in JOFEE Fellowship

by Amanda Gluckich – Milk and Honey Farm – Boulder, CO In this week’s Torah portion, Parshat Ha’Azinu, we learn that the people of Israel, who have been wandering the desert for forty years after leaving Egypt, are about to enter the Holy Land that has been promised to them by God. Moses, who is not allowed to continue into the Holy Land due to previous transgressions, is preparing to sing a song to the people of Israel. The Torah portion, or parsha, is virtually entirely made up of song verses. Moses’s song speaks of the intergenerational tragedies and triumphs of the people of Israel, and even articulates the future to some degree. Moses sings of the people of Israel’s many struggles to accept one God, and of all of the things that God has done for them throughout the generations. Moses’s song brings everyone together and up to speed to explain why they are currently in the place they are in: about to be metaphorically born into the Land of Israel, promised to them by God. Moses begins: “Listen, O heavens, and I will speak! And let the earth hear the words of my mouth!” (Deut. 32:1). When reading […]

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Parashat Netzavim | D’varim HaMakom: Choosing to Dig In

By on September 14, 2017 in JOFEE Fellowship

by Margot Sands – Ekar Farm – Boulder, Co Parasha Netzavim This week’s Torah portion, Netzavim, offers us the warning of risks and rewards that could result from engaging in Judaism. See for yourself in a snapshot of this week’s Torah portion: Moses delivers a message from G-d about the consequences that may be endured as a result of committing to the Jewish faith. What will happen if we do all that has been commanded of us as Jews? We are given the world. Protection. A full, happy life. Fruits of the earth, of the trees, of the next generation. G-d even offers to plot revenge against our enemies. However, the dark consequence bestowed upon us comes from an angry, spiteful G-d. If we don’t choose the faithful life, then we are choosing death and will perish by the wrath of G-d. As I read this Torah portion’s translation, I was stunned by the dichotomy of choices. We can choose the path of a devout Jew, or we can choose to suffer dire consequences. The reward: a gloriously full life following the word of G-d; The risk: taking a misstep in devotion and enduring G-d’s wrath. This contrast of choices […]

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Shabbat at Burning Man

By on September 1, 2017 in JOFEE Fellowship

by Leora “Leo” Cockrell – Camp Tawonga – San Francisco, CA I arrived on playa for my first Burning Man at midnight on Sunday after eight hours of driving. I got out of my car and I was immediately aware that I had absolutely no bearings. Nothing about this landscape, these people, these structures, or flashing LED lights was familiar, and in a sense, I was no longer familiar to myself. After calibrating my body to the harsh environment and exploring for a few days, I decided to check out the Jewish Theme camp – Milk and Honey. On Thursday morning, Milk and Honey held Torah study and we explored the feelings of unfamiliarity in this particular landscape. We discussed how in Hebrew the word for “Desert” and “Wilderness” is synonymous and wondered if this was because the desert was the only wilderness known at the time of writing the Torah, or if the Desert holds a wildness unique unto itself. We discussed the story of Moses and his discovery of the burning bush in the desert – both how it took his initiation of awareness and curiosity in the bush for G-d to then reach out to him, and […]

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Parashat Va’eira | D’varim HaMakom: The JOFEE Fellows Blog

By on January 27, 2017 in JOFEE Fellowship

by Liora Lebowitz, Jewish Farm School – Philadelphia, PA Power from the People: A Story of How Moshe and Aharon Led the Israelite Resistance The parsha Va’eira is the story of Moshe and Aharon’s attempts to free the Israelite people from under Pharoah’s leadership. The parsha begins with G!d reassuring Moshe of G!d’s covenant with the Israelite people and G!d’s promise to free them from the land of Egypt. Moshe tries to tell the Israelites about G!d’s promise but they cannot fathom this happening. G!d instructs Moshe to go to Pharoah himself to demand that the Israelites be freed, a task which Moshe feels inadequate to do partially due to his speech impediment. In the end, Aharon joins forces with Moshe and acts as his speaker, and together they go up against the power of Pharoah. G!d instructs Aharon and Moshe to cast Aharon’s staff before Pharoah and it will turn into a serpent, in order to provide a sign for Pharoah of G!d’s power. This is the first action which Moshe and Aharon take in order to persuade Pharoah to let the Israelites go. Throughout the rest of the parsha, Moshe and Aharon enact the first seven of the […]

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