Selected Online Articles
by Rabbi Esther Jilovsky, PhD
To read more of Rabbi Jilovsky's writing visit 929 English and The Times of Israel Blogs.
An Inspirational Victory
Tragedy in Christchurch: God Defend New Zealand
A River Runs Through It
When we think of women in the Torah, Mahlah, Tirzah, Hoglah, Milcah and Noah may not be the first names which spring to mind. We may think of Sarah, who faithfully followed her husband Abraham to another land. We may think of Rebecca, who met her husband Isaac by falling off a camel. And we may think of Leah and Rachel, sisters who ended up married to the same man, Jacob.
Late on Thursday night, California time, the posts started appearing on Facebook. A shooting. At mosques. In Christchurch, New Zealand, the country where I had spent four very happy childhood years. At first the news spoke of multiple causalities, some injured. Then the numbers grew to 27. And on Friday morning, we woke to the horrifying news of 49 dead, a number that has now increased to 50. 50 people. 50 souls. 50 Muslims. 50 New Zealanders.
A river is a sign of life. Whether a glossy trail snaking through a rusty desert landscape, a deep blue stream cutting through a rainforest, or a crisp mountain spring of melting snow gathering pace on descent, a river is a source of nourishment. A river provides water, transport, food and life for the people, animals and plants along its course. A river carves the landscape, forming wadis and trails and valleys and caves. Yet, while a river’s impact on the landscape may seem fixed, a river is on a perpetual journey.