Pekude – The Making of a Mishkan
In Pekude as we conclude reading the book of Shemot (Exodus), the Mishkan (the desert Temple) is inaugurated. The portion begins with a recount of how much gold, silver, and […]
Author Archives: shalommorris
Shekalim – Sephardic Charity
Perashat Shekalim recalls the annual half-shekel gift given by each Jew to the Temple. We read this portion every year before the month of Adar, as the gift was due […]
Ki Tisa – ‘Sin’ and the Western Sephardim
I used to think of the significance of Torah portion of Ki Tisa as being about the sin of the Golden Calf, and of how the people turned away from […]
Tezave – Moses and Moses Montefiore
Moshe Rabbenu, the great leader of the Exodus, is so prominent in the Torah, that once born, there is henceforth nearly no Torah portion in which he does not appear, […]
Mishpatim – Sephardim and Slavery
The Torah contains laws that govern slavery, whether captured in war or enslaved to pay off debts. In fact, it is no secret that Sephardim owned slaves. This is particularly […]
Yitro -The Minhag to Stand or to Sit
There are different customs with regards to standing or sitting during the Ten Commandments. The source of the standing/sitting debate is anchored in a Mishna. Tamid 5:1 states that originally […]
Conference on Jews and Slavery
This past October Potsdam University in Germany hosted a conference of interest to the history of the Western Sephardim . The title of the conference was ‘Colonial History – Sephardic Perspectives.’ […]
The Portuguese Inquisition – Coimbra, Portugal
Upon visiting Portugal it isn’t generally apparent where significant moments transpired concerning Jews, unless someone shows them to you. That is mostly the case in Coimbra, too, where the Portuguese Inquisition […]
My Induction at Bevis Marks Synagogue
I’m pleased to share photos and videos with you from my recent induction at Bevis Marks Synagogue. I celebrated the day together with Rabbi Danny Kada from my sister S&P Sephardi Community Synagogue […]
The Sephardi Origins of the Dreidel
Whilst visiting Portugal this past summer, I was given a gift. It appeared to be a dreidel, though I was told that it was actually a Rapa, a Portuguese top […]
Shalom Says Hello 