Parashat Yitro has much to teach us about the ties that bind us and the importance of community in our daily lives.

Tu Bishvat, or the New Year for the Trees, has become increasingly popular in recent years, particularly for people interested in environmentalism and ecology.

Imma Shalom, who lived in the second century of the Common Era was the wife of Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus, one of R. Yochanan ben Zakkai’s five disciples and incredibly influential in his own right. She is one of the few women mentioned by name in the Babylonian Talmud.

Shekhinah, which derives from the Hebrew root meaning to dwell or settle, is most commonly used to refer to G-d’s Divine Presence, particularly in the Mishkan or Tabernacle as well as the Holy Temples in Jerusalem.

This week, we read Parshat Shemot, the first Parshah or Torah portion in the Book of Exodus, in which we are introduced to several important women, all of whom were intimately involved with Moses or Moshe in some fashion. These include Batya or Bithiah—Pharaoh’s Daughter.

Although Yom Kippur is perhaps the best known and most widely observed Jewish fast day, there are five additional fast days on the Jewish calendar, four of which relate in some fashion to the destruction of the Holy Temples in Jerusalem. One of these is the 10th of Tevet.

One of Chanukah’s most well known and enduring symbols is the dreidel, the four-sided top with a Hebrew letter on each of the sides—nun, gimmel, hey and shin which stands for nes gadol hayah sham—a great miracle happened there.

Many people know that it is customary to eat latkes—potato pancakes and sufganiot—jelly donuts on Chanukah but there is also the custom of eating cheese on Chanukah. This custom has its origins in the story of Judith who played a significant if lesser known role in the story of Chanukah.

Chanukah, also known as the festival of lights is an eight-day holiday on which we celebrate the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem following our victory over the Syrian Greeks in the 2nd century B.C.E. Although Chanukah is a minor holiday, it has a fascinating history.

In this week’s Parsha, Vayishlach, we read one of the Torah’s most difficult narratives—the rape of Dina, the only daughter born to Jacob and Leah by the Prince of Shechem, the son of Hamor. We know very little of Dina’s life aside from this heart wrenching account.