Torah Archives

The Jewish News of Northern California

Detail from "The Death of Korah, Dathan and Abiram" by Gustave Doré, 1865

Why one leader of Korach’s rebellion survived (hint: thank his wife)

by Rabbi Joey Felsen June 18, 2026June 18, 2026

The Torah column is supported by a generous donation from Eve Gordon-Ramek in memory of Kenneth Gordon. KorachNumbers 16:1-18:32 Many of the narratives that we find in the Torah are […]

Still from "Close Encounters of the Third Kind."

Torah

Your reaction to encountering the unknown is a choice

by Rabbi Daniel Stein June 11, 2026June 11, 2026

Torah

What Moses, the most humble person on Earth, teaches us about leadership

by Rabbi Amy Eilberg June 4, 2026June 4, 2026

The hand gesture made during the Priestly Benediction on an old headstone. (evilgurl via Flickr CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

Torah

What the Priestly Blessing teaches us about reinventing rituals for modern times

by Rabbi Niles Elliot Goldstein May 28, 2026May 28, 2026

The Diwan-i-Khas, or Hall of Private Audience, in Fatehpur Sikri. (Daniel Mennerish via Flickr CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

Torah

A city without water is like a Jew without Torah

by Rabbi Dov Greenberg May 20, 2026May 20, 2026

The Twelve Tribes of Israel camped around the Tabernacle from a 1683 etching by Jan Luyken.

Torah

Tribal flags and summer camp color wars: How God turned us into one people

by Rabbi Jessica Zimmerman Graf May 14, 2026May 15, 2026

The Liberty Bell (National Parks Service)

Torah

We yearn for permanence, but we are visitors on God’s Earth

by Rabbi Shana Chandler Leon May 7, 2026May 7, 2026

An Omer calendar from 1904 by Baruch Zvi Ring. (Wikimedia)

Torah

From Passover to Shavuot: What the Omer offering teaches us about growth

by Rabbi Joey Felsen April 30, 2026April 30, 2026

(From left) An ancient Israelite priest, high priest and a Levite (Charles Foster, 1873)

Torah

A holy life demands more than following the law — it means doing what’s right

by Rabbi Daniel Stein April 23, 2026April 23, 2026

"Miriam Shut Out From the Camp" by James Tissot

Torah

We are all outliers, seeking a way back to our communities

by Rabbi Niles Elliot Goldstein April 16, 2026April 16, 2026