Shabbat candles are lit by Jewish women and girls (or men), 18 minutes before sunset on Friday afternoon and on the eve of Jewish holidays. Why do women light Shabbat candles? What are their significance? How is it done?

Learn about Shabbat candles and the blessings they bring to our home and to our life.

Some people have done some really bad things causing terrible harm to others. Are these people inherently bad? Is it possible for a person to be inherently bad or does everyone have some good? Should we always give everyone another chance or are there some actions beyond which one can never change?

A discussion about the Jewish perspective on evil and how bad people can become.

Being Jewish not only includes many rituals and rules of conduct but can also be very expensive. Being a member of a Jewish community usually includes expensive dues while the costs of Jewish education can be prohibitive. Even following specific rituals like eating Kosher meat, purchasing Shemura Matzah for Passover, making a Bris or Bar/Bat Mitzvah can be very expensive.

When is money so central in Judaism? Should we really be charging for Jewish services and membership? Is there a way to take (at least some) of the expense out of Judaism?

A fascinating discussion about the role of money in Judaism.

When electrical grid where built in cities and our homes filled with electrical lighting and appliances, Jews were faced with the question of whether electricity could be used on Shabbat. Though the Torah does not mention electricity and it was virtually unknown for thousands of years, Jewish scholars unanimously concluded that electricity should not be used on Shabbat. But why?

Learn about the rules of electricity on Shabbat and how it fits into our ancient rules of the Torah from over 3,000 years ago.

The Talmud, also called Gemora or Shas is the giant but difficult comprehensive work of Jewish rules and teachings that is the most important work in Judaism. Yet the Talmud remains a mystery for most given its immense size and complex discussions in Aramaic.

Who wrote the Talmud? What is in it? Why is it so central to Judaism? Why is it so complex and difficult?

The Kohanim or Cohens are a unique Jewish family that in ancient times served in the Temple in Jerusalem. They have many privileges as well as laws and responsibilities in Jewish tradition.

What is the Kohanic family? Why are they different? Can we accurately recognize them today? What are the special rules that apply to them?