The Rabbi’s Corner

Online Resources

Here are a few of Rabbi Mark’s favorite online go-tos for everything Jewish.

Judaism 101

• My Jewish Learning – A wonderful breadth of information about everything Jewish. Is also a great starting point for the basics. If you only have a few minutes to find out something, this is the website for you.
• Bimbam – A digital storytelling website, designed to spark connections to Judaism for learners of all ages. Most of the stories are animated, in 2 minutes or less, and cover topics such as Jewish rituals, holidays, mitzvot,  and Torah portions. (Rabbi Mark wrote the scripts for a few of these!)
• Spirituality and Practice – Spirituality & Practice serves people of all the world’s religions and spiritual paths, and those with no tradition. Offers a breadth of resources covering a variety of topics. One of the many sections is specific to Judaism.
• Ritualwell – An extensive online resource hosted by Reconstructive Judaism that curates original Jewish rituals for Jews and fellow seekers. They publish rituals, ceremonies, prayers and poems to mark sacred moments in Jewish life. The site includes information and how-tos about ancient and newly created rituals.
• Safaria – An expansive Jewish library including Torah, commentaries, and in-depth study on various topics. There is the option to read in Hebrew, English, or both. This is the resource often used for UVJC Torah study group, as well as our virtual services.

Jewish News

• Tablet Magazine – This a cultural Jewish daily periodical of Jewish news, ideas, and culture. A great resource for all things literary and cultural, including sections on food, belief, holidays, science, and sports.
• The Forward – A traditional online Jewish newspaper that covers US, Israeli, and world events.
• The Jewish Telegraphic Agency – A global Jewish news source. Similar to The Forward, it offers a worldly scope.

Rabbi’s Favorite Music links

• Psalm 121 – An uplifting psalm put to music by an Israeli artist.

Rabbi Mark in the News

• Here’s a link to an interview with Rabbi Mark on NHPR from 2021, about celebrating Passover online

Torah for Turbulent Times

Between March 2020 and September 2021, while so many of us were reeling from the effects of the Covid epidemic, Rabbi Mark wrote the first of his series, Torah for Turbulent Times. His weekly musings, teachings, and inspirations are relevant for all times and can be found here.