Rabbis Eliot Malomet, Jeremy Kalmanofsky and Barry Chesler once again invite us all in to the rabbis study tor a lively discussion of this week's parsha, Shemini. (Image - https://atravesdelasescrituras.com/) Parashah Talk for Sh'mini [Leviticus 9-11]: When I (BC) used to teach the story of Nadav and Avihu in 10th Grade Bible, I would refer to it as a "Tragedy in Three Verses" [Leviticus 10:1-3]. Each of these verses is subject to more than one interpretation, and how you put these interpretations together results in very different readings. Did Nadav and Avihu do anything wrong, and if so, what? What does it mean to die in the presence of God: is this spiritual or geographical? And are Moses' words in verse 3 meant to console Aaron or to rebuke him? There is a lot more in the Torah reading [each week, I've been told, we encounter another amazing reading], but we spent most of our time on this story. We hope you like it! Shabbat Shalom!!

Kol Ramah

Parsha Talk Shemini 5781

Parashah Talk, the Pesach Edition: Rabbis Eliot Malomet, Jeremy Kalmanofsky and Barry Chester. This Shabbat is the 7th day of Passover, when we read the beginning of Parashat B'shallach [Exodus 13:17-15:27, last read on January 30], featuring the Song of the Sea [Exodus 15:1-21]. On Sunday, the Torah reading is the same as the 2nd day of Shavuot and Sh'mini Atzeret [Deuteronomy 15:19-16:17]. There is a longstanding tradition to read the Song of Songs on the Shabbat of Pesach [unless Shabbat is both 1st and 8th day, when it is read on the 8th day]. Our discussion focuses first on the Song of the Sea, and then on Song of Songs. Shabbat Shalom & Chag Sameach!

Parsha Talk Last Days Pesach 5781

This week, the Shabbat before Pesach, is known as Shabbat Hagadol, for reasons that are not entirely clear. In European Jewish communities, it was one of two shabbatot [the other being Shabbat Shuvah, the Shabbat between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur] when the community rabbi would address his flock. Traditionally, the rabbi would speak about the laws of Pesach; one might think it a little late to do that when Pesach began on a Saturday night! In Parashat Talk this week, we divided our conversation between the weekly reading, Parashat Tsav [Leviticus 6:1-8:36], with the presentation of the sacrifices from the priests’ perspective [unlike last week, when they were presented from the offerer’s perspective], the fire kept going by the priests, and the ordination/investiture ceremony for the priests [which will conclude in parashat Sh’mini, in two weeks], and favorite passages from the Haggadah. A Shabbat Shalom and Zissen Pesach [Happy Passover] to one and all!

Parsha Talk Tzav - Pesach 5781 with Rabbis Eliot Malomet, Jeremy Kalmanofsky and Barry Chesler

We begin a new book of the Torah this week, ספר ויקרא [Leviticus], which gives its name to the parashah [Leviticus 1:1-5:26] as well, va-yiqra. We spend some time discussing the nature of the book, quite unlike Genesis and Exodus, the layered meanings of the first verse, and the laying on of the hands [1:4] as it appears here, and elsewhere. And before you know it, with so much left to say, our time is up! Shabbat Shalom!!

Parsha Talk - Vayikra 5781. Rabbis Eliot Malomet, Jeremy Kalmanofsky and Barry Chesler

This week, parashat va-yaqhel-p’qudei [Exodus 35:1-40:38], is where it all began. Parashah Talk in its current format has been produced each week for the last year. This is our response to the Covid 19 pandemic. It has given Eliot, Jeremy, and I a chance to deepen our friendship which was rooted in many summers together at Camp Ramah in the Berkshires. While we hardly saw each other throughout the camp off-seasons, this year we have been together every week on Zoom. For you who have listened and viewed, we hope our conversation about Torah has deepened your own understanding and appreciation of Torah. For me it remains one of the highlights of each and every week for the past year. Shabbat Shalom! (Image chabad.org)

Parsha Talk - Vayakhel Pekudei 5781; Rabbis Eliot Malomet, Jeremy Kalmanofsky and Barry Chesler

Meet the newest member of the Radio Kol Ramah staff: This is a rebroadcast of a 2019 interview with Mitch Mernick at Yiddish New York. You surely want to hear about Amy's experience with WFDU-FM, The radio station of Fairleigh Dickinson University.

Meet Amy Erlanger - Tzevet Radio 2021

Join Rabbis Eliot Malomet, Jeremy Kalmanofsky and Barry Chesler for Parsha Talk! Parashat Ki Tissa [Exodus 30:11-34:35] coincides with Shabbat Parah [Numbers 19:1-22], the third of the 4 special shabbatot [sabbaths] before the upcoming Pesach [Passover] holiday. One way of considering this conjuction is as the story of a bad cow [the Golden Calf (Exodus 32)] and a good cow [the so-called red heifer in Numbers whose ashes are required for the ritual of purification after corpse contamination]. We spend most of our time talking about the bad cow, but the good cow does get a shout-out, as does Shabbat, whose 2-verse feature in the parashah [Exodus 31:16-17] has become part of the Saturday morning amidah [central prayer of the morning worship service] and kiddush. We hope this puts you in the right “moo”d for Shabbat! (Image from Chabad.org)

Parsha Talk Ki Tissa 5781

Join Rabbis Eliot Malomet, Jeremy Kalmanofsky and Barry Chesler for Parsha Talk! Because Purim is observed Thursday night, and many of us will be davening ma’ariv [praying the evening service] and reading the megillah [the Scroll of Esther] at the time we normally record Parashah Talk, this week we recorded Wednesday evening. We have parashat T’tzaveh [Exodus 27:20-30:10], taken up mostly with a description of the special vestments of the High Priest, and a few minutes to explore the greatness of Purim. Give a listen! Let us know what you think at parshatalk@gmail.com. As we begin to gear up for Passover, just a month after Purim [March 27th, to be precise], we hope to devote some time to questions previously sent to us. New questions, comments, and criticisms are always welcome. Purim Same’ach [Happy Purim]! Shabbat Shalom!!

Parsha Talk-Tezaveh 5781

Join Rabbis Eliot Malomet, Jeremy Kalmanofsky and Barry Chesler for Parsha Talk! This week is the 2nd of the 4 special Shabbatot before Pesach. In addition to the regular Torah reading of T'ruman [Exodus 25:1-27:19], which begins the lengthy section on the description of and building of the mishkan ["tabernacle"], there is a special maftir (additional reading) [Deuteronomy 25:17-19] and haftarah (prophetic reading) [1 Samuel 15:2-34] concerning the war against Amalek. Our conversation is pretty much equally divided between T'rumah and Zakhor [the commandment to remember to destroy Amalek], from the point of view of time. Dare I say we have interesting observations and commentary in both halves! As always, questions, comments, and criticisms are welcome at parshatalk@gmail.com. We still plan on answering all questions by Passover, the liturgical time to ask and answer questions. Shabbat Shalom!

Parsha Talk Terumah - Shabbat Zakhor 5781

Parashat Mishpatim [Exodus 21:1-24:18] contains the Covenant Code, the first extended legal section of the Torah. The laws themselves defy easy categorization; the rabbis of the Mishnah used their own organizational system in Seder N'ziqin [Damages], the Mishnah's 4th Order, whose foundation is in the Covenant Code. Our conversation meanders through the parashah, with due time devoted to chapter 24, a return to narrative and the famous response of the Israelites: na'aseh v-nishma [you will have to listen to find out how we understand this engimatic phrase!]. As always, comments, criticisms, and suggestions are welcome at parshatalk@gmail.com. Do not despair, we do intend to get to questions previously asked [even as we look forward to new ones]. Sometimes we get carried away by our own conversation! Shabbat Shalom!!

Parsha Talk - Mishpatim 2021 with Rabbis Eliot Malomet, Jeremy Kalmonofsky and Barry Chesler

Max Silverstone, music staff at Camp Ramah and 2nd year cantorial student at JTS, returns to Radio Kol Ramah with Mitch Mernick for an in-depth look at original research he is compiling on the history and music of the the site that we call Camp Ramah in the Berkshires. Of note, there has been an organized Jewish presence on the shores of Lake Ellis for over 100 years! Tracks: 1940 Bob Chester - Maybe (Dolores O'Neill, vocal) Riobamba – Leonard Bernstein 1935 Sid Peltyn - Lullaby Of Broadway (Dick Robertson, vocal) Frank Sinatra, Stubby Kaye, and Johnny Silver - Guys And Dolls from Guys And Dolls (1955) It Hurts to Say Goodbye Al Naharot Bavel Kanar Al Hagag. Let's Give a Cheer for Kee-Wah Wah Farewell Himnon Ramah Produced by Max Silverstone Co-produced and edited by Mitch Mernick

Max Silverstone - "Camp Before Camp" - 100 Years of History in Music

Parashat Yitro [Exodus 18:1-20:22] is best known for the original narration of the 10 Commandments. They will appear again in Deuteronomy 5, when Moses is reviewing for the people their history and narrates them again. The episode in Exodus is known as מעמד הר סיני [ma'amad har sinai, "the standing at Sinai"], and is the central event in the Jewish people's self-understanding. Chapter 18 focuses on Yitro, Moshe's father-in-law, and has its own intereset, We spend time on both chapter 18 and chapters 19-20, we hope to your benefit! Comments, questions, and criticisms welcome at parshatalk@gmail.com. Shabbat Shalom!

Parsha Talk Yitro 2021 -Rabbis Eliot Malomet, Jeremy Kalmonofsky and Barry Chesler

Parashat B'shallach [Exodus 13:17-17:16] features the Song of the Sea, the triumphant poem of redemption sung by the Israelites when they have crossed the Sea of Reeds and turn around to see the Egyptians dead on the opposite shore. Rather than poetry, our conversation is more about prose: the character and leadership of Moses, the character of the Israelites as they cross over, ostensibly into freedom, the institution of Shabbat, and the battle with the Amalekites. Give a listen to Rabbis Eliot Malomet, Jeremy Kalmonofsky and Barry Chesler on Parsha Talk! Comments and criticisms are welcome at parshatalk@gmail.com. While we read the mail and intend to answer questions on the next show, we are not always successful. Do not despair! Send the question again! There is, for the forseeable future, always next week!

Parsha Talk Beshalach 2021

Join Rabbis Eliot Malomet, Jeremy Kalmonofsky and Barry Chesler for Parsha Talk. Parashat Bo [Exodus 10:1-13:16] covers the last three plagues [locusts, darkness, and the slaying of the first-born] and includes chapter 12 [one of my favorite chapters in the entire Torah] and the beginning section of chapter 13 [which is actually more than half the chapter going by the verse count]. This beginning section is perhaps better known to us from tefillin, worn at weekday morning services, which has four Torah passages in its boxes [the first and second paragraphs of the Sh'ma and Ex. 13:1-10 and 13:11-16]. Chapter 12 itself is read, in addition to this week, on Shabbat Hachodesh [verses 1-20, March 13 this year], the Shabbat just before or coinciding with Rosh Chodesh Nisan, and on the first day of Passover [verses 21-51, this year on March 28]. In addition, we have some of the questions associated with the 4 sons of the Passover Seder. So we will get another crack at some of this material! Comments and criticisms are welcome at parshatalk@gmail.com. Shabbat Shalom!

Parsha Talk - Bo 2021

Join us on this MLK weekend as we celebrate and remember Dr. King, whose transformative message is tied to our early chapters of the book of Shemot. Parashat Va-era [Exodus 6:2-9:35] opens with a theological bang, the declaration by God that He did not make Himself known to the patriarchs by the same name as He made Himself known to Moses [6:2-3]. A little later, Moses gives, as it were, his first sermon [in particular, 6:6-8], with the 4-5 words of redemption which are each represented by a cup of wine at the Passover Seder. The people do not listen, because of qotzer ru'ah [diminished spirit] and hard work; a modern idiom might say that Moses bombed! And then we get the first seven plagues. Our conversation meanders, as is our wont, but there should be something for everyone! As always, comments and criticisms are welcome at parshatalk@gmail.com. Shabbat Shalom!

Parsha Talk Vaera 2021

Broadcasting from Camp Ramah in the Berkshires. We are the soundtrack for each summer! Our air is filled with shows produced by and for the campers! LISTEN LIVE: http://KolRamah.us

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