Josh Joseph

DEGREDATION OF GENERATIONS EXPLAINED - Jewish HaShkafa (132) https://lnkd.in/e7c9AQiQ What happened with Adam and Chava And how does it affect us today? Explore the profound teachings of Rabbi Yaron Reuven on the generational decline since Adam and Chava in this enlightening Shiur. Delve into the origins of human challenges and their impacts on contemporary life through the lens of Jewish wisdom. This shiur uncovers the spiritual and moral degradation that began with the first humans, and how these ancient lessons still resonate and influence our modern existence. Ideal for those seeking a deeper understanding of spiritual history and its relevance today.

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For 2025, let's create JEWISH goals. J - Joyful: Strive to bring joy into your life and the lives of others through mitzvot and meaningful actions. E - Empathy: Practice empathy and understanding toward others, reflecting the values of ahavat yisrael. W - Wisdom: Seek wisdom in Torah, the teaching of our sages, and life experiences, and strive for personal growth. I - Identity: Strengthen your Jewish identity through Torah, prayer, and Mitzvot. S - Service: Dedicate time to serving others, whether through charity, volunteering, or acts of chesed (kindness). H - Holiness: Bring holiness into your daily life by sanctifying the mundane through mitzvot. Agree?

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Here's my weekly parsha article on the topic of No Gashes, Bald Spots, or Shaving Beards https://conta.cc/4bhMfFk Wishing you a Good Shabbos

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When most people think about Israel, they often imagine a monolithic society. But having traveled extensively throughout the land and worked closely with local ministries, I've witnessed something far more remarkable: a vibrant, complex tapestry of cultures, backgrounds, and stories. First Century Foundations supports over 70 ministries that serve an incredibly diverse population. Let me share a glimpse of this beautiful complexity: Imagine a single day of humanitarian work where: ☑ A Russian immigrant family receives food assistance ☑ A Sudanese refugee child gets educational support ☑ An Ethiopian Jewish family receives medical help ☑ An Arab Christian congregation provides community services ☑ A Jewish single mom has her baby’s needs provided for an entire year These aren't just statistics—they're real lives, real stories of hope and resilience. Our humanitarian efforts reach beyond simple aid. We're supporting integration, healing, and community building in a land often misunderstood by the outside world. From Holocaust survivors to new immigrants, from native-born Israelis to those seeking refuge, each person carries a unique story of survival, hope, and connection. The ministries we support understand something profound: true compassion knows no ethnic, religious, or cultural boundaries. They embody a biblical principle of loving your neighbour—regardless of who that neighbour might be. When we pray for the peace of Jerusalem, we're not just praying for a place. We're praying for people. Real, beautiful people with intricate histories and incredible resilience. This is the Israel I know. This is the Israel we support. #SupportIsrael #HumanitarianHope #UnityInDiversity #OneNewMan

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New 4-week online mini-course I'll be teaching for Tamid of Hebrew College this January: INSIGHTS ABOUT THE NAMES OF G-D IN JEWISH TRADITION. Open to all learners; Tuesday mornings, 9:30 AM Eastern time starting Jan. 7. This should be a lot of fun! Jewish spiritual wisdom has put many names on the experience of encountering the divine. This course offers some unexpected insights from the Bible, rabbinic literature, and Kabbalah about what it means to give a name to the Transcendent: from the Torah’s ineffable four-letter Name, to unusual metaphors, to the Kabbalists’ 72- (actually 216-) letter mystery, and beyond. This course will explore familiar and unfamiliar sources, with an emphasis on articulating and clarifying our own spiritual awareness. Details and registration information through Hebrew College: https://lnkd.in/exQRhADw #Tamid #HebrewCollege #Meah

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Antisemitism in K-12 schools is an urgent national concern. This escalation highlights the pivotal moment we’re in and the urgent need for Holocaust and antisemitism education. The time to act is now; future generations need to be equipped to prevent, recognize and address antisemitism. 

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The Intricacies of Kosher: Law, Ethics, and Violence Explore the complex relationship between kosher laws, humane practices, and perceptions of crime among Jewish communities. We delve into the importance of understanding life, purpose, and the ethical implications of taking life within the framework of Jewish law. #KosherLaws #JewishEthics #HumaneKilling #CulturalPerspectives #ViolenceAndCrime #JudaismExplained #AnimalWelfare #MoralPhilosophy #LegalSystems #CommunityDiscussion

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🎥✨ Facing Uncertainty with Mindfulness ✨🎥 In life, uncertainty is inevitable. How do we navigate those moments when the path ahead feels unclear? 🌿 This short video offers a mindful moment inspired by a teaching from Rabbi Sheila Peltz Weinberg, a pioneer in Jewish spirituality and mindfulness practices. Drawing from Neo-Hasidic thought, we explore how grounding ourselves in the present can help us embrace the unknown with courage and compassion. 🌟 Through this lens, uncertainty becomes not just a challenge but an opportunity for spiritual growth and deeper connection to the Divine. ✨ What anchors you in times of uncertainty? Share your thoughts below. #Mindfulness #JewishSpirituality #NeoHasidicThought #RabbiSheilaPeltzWeinberg #FacingUncertainty #MindfulMoments #SpiritualGrowth #JewishMindfulness #UncertaintyAsOpportunity

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🚀 What is Judaism on the Offense? 🚀 In light of recent global events, many young Jews are grappling with questions about their identity, their purpose, and the future of the Jewish people. Now, more than ever, it's time to shift the narrative. 🔑 THE OLD WAY: For far too long, our story has been about survival. About defending against the past. About responding to crises rather than leading with purpose. We’ve focused on “NEVER AGAIN” – but what about NOW? 💡 THE NEW WAY: Judaism on the Offense It's time to stop looking over our shoulders and start running towards our future. Judaism is not about fear or just "preservation." It’s about purpose, action, and being needed in this world. We are not just surviving; we are here to thrive and transform. That’s where we come in. 🔥 Our Mission: We’re empowering young Jews to be agents of change, equipping them with the tools, knowledge, and a sense of agency. We believe every person has an indispensable role in making this world a garden, not a jungle. 🌱 WE ARE INVESTING 100K IN JUDAISM ON THE OFFENSE. This isn’t just about securing the future. It’s about living meaningfully today — and making the future worth running towards. 💥 Double Your Impact: Thanks to our generous Campaign Matchers, every dollar you donate is DOUBLED! Together, we can help amplify this movement and make a tangible difference. Thank you to our campaign matchers! 🔸 Arie Eric Feldman 🔸 Robellini Construction MGMT 🔸 Boca Beach Jewish Center Chabad Let's share this vision and expand the circle of impact — one person at a time. #JudaismOnTheOffense #Empowerment #JewishIdentity #ChangeMakers #JewishFuture #Fundraising #MakeADifference #LoveAndAction

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In Jewish tradition, seven is the perfect number. Seven represents the week of Creation, the seven Noachide Laws for all, the seven colors of the rainbow, the seven species and so much more. But tonight is the eighth night. And eight is different. Eight, in Jewish thought, is 'un-natural.' It's one step above the natural order, striving to overcome what we’re usually told is the ‘natural’ limit. We circumcise boys at eight days because the brit, the covenant, goes above and beyond any regular natural order. And like the Maccabees fighting the Greeks, we draw on a strength that goes above and beyond nature. A strength that relies on faith and community. Eight is a test. As we go up in holiness, in community, in being together, we can go even further than we think is sometimes possible. The eighth night shows us complete light, a complete row of candles. It shows us a vision of what we can become. At CSS - Community Security Service our vision is a Jewish community that thrives without fear—where families can gather, pray, and celebrate confidently. Your donation this Chanukah is more than a gift—it’s an investment in that vision. Help us create a brighter, safer future for Jewish communities everywhere. 🔗 Donate now: www.thecss.org/donate Chag sameach, a peaceful, healthy and restful Chanuka and 2025 for us all. May the hostages be released. May the suffering find healing. May we find peace. #ProtectDefendEmpower #JewishCommunity #JewishSecurity

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Question: Rabbi, sometimes I wonder how not to get bored of doing Mitzvot, especially the ones we do regularly, like putting on Tefillin every day or lighting Shabbat candles every week. At some point, it can just feel routine and boring, no? Answer: Funny, I was recently thinking about the same thing! I thought about famous athletes, the GOATs of their sports. Do they ever get bored of winning the Super Bowl? Or when they’re competing for a gold medal, do they think, "This is so boring! I got a gold medal last time already"? Of course not. Winning a gold medal never gets boring. Every time, it’s another huge accomplishment, a moment of immense pride, not to mention the roaring crowds! The same is true for us. When you accomplish something big, you don’t feel bored. If we start to feel bored by doing Mitzvot, it’s probably because we don’t fully appreciate the impact we’re having. Let’s take another example to understand the impact of Mitzvot. Imagine driving to a remote, impoverished village in Africa with a truck full of food and water. You see the smiles on the children’s faces and mothers shedding tears of joy. They’re not going to be hungry anymore! How would that make you feel? Most likely, you’d want to get another truck of food as soon as you could. Feeding the hungry is a big Mitzvah, but really, every Mitzvah—even those that are done "for G-d"—has a similar impact. Our world is like a remote, impoverished village. It’s a place where materialism often takes center stage, and G-dliness is barely visible. Everything in this massive, beautiful universe was created by G-d, yet He remains hidden. And the entire creation, the trillions of beings in this universe, are "hungry" and "thirsty" for G-d’s light. When you do a Mitzvah and fulfill G-d’s command, you bring divine light not just into your life but into the entire world! Isn’t that an accomplishment to be proud of? Whenever we say the Shema (which also appears in this week's Parsha), we recite the verse: "And these words which I command you today shall be upon your heart." Our sages emphasize the word "today," explaining that G-d wants us to regard the commandments as if we receive them every day—with the same excitement and energy as if they were given to us today. When we appreciate the impact of our actions, we’ll never get bored of doing a Mitzvah. So next time you feel bored when wrapping Tefillin or lighting Shabbat candles, take a moment to think about the significance of what you’re doing. Remember the incredible impact you're making. Right now, right here, you are bringing light into the world! And the entire universe is roaring for you. Wishing you a Shabbat Shalom, Rabbi Mendy Kaminker

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I wrote this article and have been getting a lot of feedback. Would love to hear your thoughts on this. https://lnkd.in/eWDWseWZ

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Our IFR Rabbis share the Torah portion of the week. IFR Member Rabbi Foster E. Kawaler I have always thought that calling this Sefer “Numbers” was a misnomer. Yes, it kicks off with a census of the Israelites as they prepare to move out from Mount Sinai into the desert, headed for The Promised Land. The Hebrew name for this Parsha, however, is “BeMidbar” -- In the Wilderness -- because Hebrew books are named after the first significant word. But in this case, the Hebrew name is far more descriptive of what the sefer is about – the adventures of the Children of Israel in the Wilderness/Desert, and their growth as a Nation. The idea of “Numbers” comes from all the censuses in this sefer. But why all the censuses? Our Sages have remarked that HaShem counts His/Her/It’s people like a rich man counts his money – but out of love and appreciation. But the book begins with a problem. Certainly, most censuses are as accurate as possible, but this one has a glitch. Rabbi Yossochor Frand of Torah.org brings up that Rav Chatzkel Levenstein, zt”l, notices that Shevet [the tribe of] Don had an adult male population of 62,700 (Bemidbar 2:27). They were the largest tribe of all. But Shevet Binyomin, on the other hand, had a population of 35,400.(Bemidbar 2:23) When we look back to Parshas Vayigash and see the number of grandchildren Ya'akov had from each of his sons, Binyamin had ten sons and Don had a single son. Not only did Don have only one son, but Chazal say that he was deaf So you would think that the bigger tribe upon the Exodus from Egypt, 210 years later, the tribe of Binyomin would be the larger of the two Tribes. Yet, at the end of the day, Don had 62,700 adult male descendants in this census and Binyomin had but 35,400. Of course, the Torah is perfect and there are no mistakes, and when there is a conflict, the Torah is trying to teach us something. Rabbi Frand says that Rav Chatzkel derived the following lesson from this: “A person like Don, who knows he has only one child, and a handicapped one at that, turns to the Ribono shel Olam and asks: “How am I going to survive? How am I going to see future generations?” In such a situation, a person goes to the L-rd who controls everything and pours his heart out. A person with ten sons will be confident and say “Let’s do the math! My grandchildren and great grandchildren will increase exponentially!” Such a person does not daven as much. When someone feels confident, he feels that he can rely “on the data”. There are times, however, that the “data” does not yield the projected result. And that, dear readers, is the lesson of this census anomaly. One never knows. To view the rest: https://lnkd.in/ewz3dDrz

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In the month of Elul, you will hear much about the importance of raising our involvement in Tefila, Jewish Prayer. Some suggestions I have heard include being on time to synagogue and adding prayers. What I have not heard is the suggestion that the Siddur be studied as a text. Why were these words chosen? Why do we say them in the order we recite them? The attached asks and answers the question: what is the purpose of Pseukei D’Zimra, the verses and chapters of Tehillim that we recite after Kornabot and before the Brachot of Kriyat Shema and Kriyat Shema.

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Is the Jewish community still relevant today? Why do we need Jewish organizations, and what purpose do they serve in today's world? What values justify our communal efforts? What are the core values that drive our extensive social and communal activities? What strategies can we use to instill a sense of responsibility for all Jews? These are just some of the questions The Center for Jewish Peoplehood Eduction is exploring in its work. I am so excited to have just started a project with Ezra Kopelowitz and the team as they build out a pilot workshop that addresses these and other questions. Together, we are looking at the overarching goals of the organization, examining the needs of the Jewish community in a post October 7 world, and designing this workshop in alignment so that educators walk out with key knowledge and understandings and tangible takeaways to impact their work. I am really inspired by the work of this organization and the people involved -- including the familiar faces of some of their fellows: Alex Pomson, David Bryfman, Samantha Vinokor-Meinrath, Faith Brigham Leener, Osnat Fox.

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