I Attempt a Torah Portion Speed Run
And Introducing the Everything Challah
Sixty Seconds of Torah
My wife, Julie, is taking an Intro to Judaism class.
As you might expect, there is nothing about this that is not great.
Her teacher is learned and wise, her classmates are warm and intelligent, she brings home terrific factoids about Judaism. (One I have not been able to verify: that El Al puts apple juice in their bread in order to alter the handwashing requirements for the most observant Jews. If you have been involved in putting apple juice into El Al’s dough, please reach out.)
Lamentably, though, Julie has concluded that “the Torah isn’t for her.” She can acknowledge the Torah’s majesty and poetry and all that. But reading it? She has found this to be somewhat of a chore.
And I know she is not alone! The Torah can be strange (the talking donkey) and dry (the cubits) and problematic (where to begin?). But it is also among the oldest and most consequential works in all of human history, not to mention the vessel that has sustained Judaism for thousands of years.
So I figured I’d try to at least summarize the Torah portion read in synagogue this week—and, what with our modern attention spans, I did it in under sixty seconds.
Introducing: The Everything Challah
In any given week, there is far more happening in Jewish life than could ever be covered in a single newsletter, particularly one based around long-form content.
So this week, I’m bringing you something a little different: a broader sampling of what is happening and what is worth looking into in the Jewish world this week in the year 2025 (or 5785, if you prefer).
So in the spirit of a challah topped with poppy seeds and sesame seeds and salt and everything you could ever want…
What to Celebrate This Week
Tu B’av, aka “the Jewish Valentine’s Day!”
I touched on Tu B’Av earlier this week, but it’s worth looking at more closely.
The origins of the holiday are murky. The Talmud refers to Tu B’av as a matchmaking day, when “the daughters of Jerusalem go out dressed in white and dance in the vineyards.” The holiday was largely forgotten after the destruction of the Second Temple and the Jewish diaspora, though—no vineyards, no party.
And while the holiday still does not have a great deal of religious resonance, in recent decades it has been revived in Israeli civil society as a day for music, romance, and white parties.
Best of all, this year, it falls on a Friday. Shabbat dinner dates for all!
And Speaking of Shabbat…
From the Wondering Jew back catalogue, here is one of my earliest posts, about how and why I practice Shabbat in my own home, and how I was inspired by my then toddler-aged daughter “baking” a rainbow-sprinkled challah.
A Book to Read This Week
This Is Real and You Are Completely Unprepared by Rabbi Alan Lew is one of those books you recommend to friends, and they read it and recommend it to other friends, until eventually you’re all arguing with each other over who recommended it first. (It was me.)
The book is a psychological, emotional, and spiritual journey, mapped across the Hebrew calendar, beginning with Tisha B’Av, which just passed, and culminating in the High Holidays.
So as we start to head toward autumn, this is the perfect time to begin. And like myself and so many other people I know, you will likely find yourself returning to this book every year.
Something to Cook
This one comes courtesy of my dad: a six-hour brisket recipe.
Well, my dad sent me the recipe, he didn’t come up with it. But you get credit for finding things on the Internet.
I confess the uncanny cook time and the reliance on chemistry and graphs give the whole thing a vaguely Jurassic Park, science-has-gone-too-far-this-time-type feel.
But on the other hand—six-hour brisket! It’s borderline miraculous!
And Finally, Something to Listen to…
The inspiring rabbi who teaches Julie’s Intro to Judaism class sent me this after reading my post about dropping my daughter at Jewish summer camp.
Perfect if you’re in the throes of missing your own camper. No one will judge you if you cry.
Shabbat Shalom, and see you all on Tuesday.
שבת שלום