The number “4” repeats itself four times on the Seder night.  The famous time, no doubt is the part that deals with the duty of the father to relate and explain the Exodus to his sons and to answer their queries regarding this narrative. 

These sons, according to the Hagaddah, may be grouped into four classes – namely the wise, the wicked, the simpleton and the one who doesn’t know how to ask.

According to our Rabbis there are at least four different ways to explain and teach our children according to their understanding.  In every age, in every situation, we are asked to tell the story in a suitable way to the appropriate son but all children in a family must be treated as unique individuals. What is good and appropriate for one child might be a disaster for the next. Serious parenting demands that unique needs of each of the children be identified early in life, thus providing each child with the maximum opportunities to meet his or her potential. This is true regarding educating towards proper social behavior as well as cultivating ones spiritual dimension. In areas of strictness versus leniency and potential versus actual, the uniqueness of each and every individual child must be carefully considered. This is the Mt. Sinai educational mandate to every parent as given over by Moshe.

Last month world leaders gathered in Copenhagen to try and find ways to overcome global warming, which has become a very serious issue. 

Because we are close to Tu B’Shevat, which is also known as “The New Year for Trees” I would like to try to explore the Jewish approach to environmental ethics.  Many people would think that this is not a halacha issue but there is no doubt that the Bible and the Talmud are full of examples dealing with environmental ethics as we believe they are important Jewish issues.

Click here to see a great article about the Chanukah, the Rabbi, and the WJCC.

Nearly every Shabbat in our synagogue we meet visitors from different places in the world.  Recently we have seen people from Israel, America, Britain, Europe, South America and elsewhere.   We know that we have a different style of prayer and they may not be exactly familiar with the tunes that we use but one thing for sure is that they know exactly what sedra they are going to read in every synagogue every Shabbat.  Every visitor knows what the Rabbi’s drasha will be about. 

There is another common shiur which is called “Daf Yomi”.