Month: October 2023

In Parasha Lekh Lekha (Genesis 12:1 – 17:27), God commands Abraham, who was 75 years old ⁽¹⁾, to settle in the land of Canaan ⁽²⁾, a land intended for him and his descendants. Subsequently, Abraham becomes involved in a conflict to rescue his nephew Lot, who had been kidnapped.

Genesis 14:14-16
וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע אַבְרָ֔ם כִּֽי־נִשְׁבָּ֛ה אָחִ֥יו וַיָּרֶ֖ק אֶת־חֲנִיכָ֑יו יְלִידֵ֣י בֵ֔יתוֹ שְׁמֹנָ֥ה עָשָׂ֖ר וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים וּמֵאָֽה׃
וַיִּרְדֹּ֗ף עַד־דָּ֛ן וַיֵּחָלֵ֥ק עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם לַיְלָֽה ה֥וּא וַעֲבָדָֽיו וַיַּכֵּ֖ם וַיִּרְדֹּ֑פם עַ֖ד־חוֹבָֽה אֲשֶׁ֥ר לִשְׂמָֽאל׃
וַיָּֽשָׁב֙ אֶת־כָּל־הָ֭רְכֻשׁ וְגַֽם־אֶת־ל֣וֹט אָחִ֑יו וְֽרְכֻשׁ֖וֹ הֵשִֽׁיב֙ וְגַם־אֶת־הַ֖נָּשִֽׁים וְאֶת־הָעָֽם׃
When Abram learned that his relative had been taken captive, he armed 318 of his bravest servants, born in his house, and pursued them as far as Dan. Then, in the night, he and his servants attacked them and defeated them and pursued them to Hobah, which is to the north of Damascus. He brought back all the possessions and also brought back his relative Lot with his possessions and the women and the people.

Abraham, accompanied by his men, confronts and defeats his enemies, rescuing Lot, who had been kidnapped. May Abraham’s example guide us in freeing the 224 hostages in the hands of Hamas. May the Lord turn Tsahal into a formidable iron harrow ⁽³⁾ to crush those who seek to destroy Israel.

The synagogue of Mende, located near the Lot River, is a medieval building dating back to the 11th century. It ranks among the oldest synagogues in France. Originally, it belonged to a prominent Jewish figure in Mende named Ferrier ⁽⁴⁾. The synagogue’s architecture reveals typical features of its era, suggesting its use both as a residence and a place of worship.

⁽¹⁾ 1948 + 75 = 2023
⁽²⁾ Canaan is a region in the Middle East that encompasses parts of what is now Israel, the Gaza Strip, the northern Negev, western Jordan, Lebanon, and western Syria.
⁽³⁾ Isaiah 41:15 (Haftara for Lekh Lekha)
הִנֵּה שַׂמְתִּיךְ, לְמוֹרַג חָרוּץ חָדָשׁ–בַּעַל, פִּיפִיּוֹת; תָּדוּשׁ הָרִים וְתָדֹק, וּגְבָעוֹת כַּמֹּץ תָּשִׂים.
Behold, I have set you as a new, sharp threshing sledge with double edges; you will thresh the mountains and crush them, and you will reduce the hills to fine chaff.
⁽⁴⁾ A surname that suggests an occupation related to ironwork (blacksmith).

The parasha Noa’h (Genesis 6 to 11) highlights the transgressions of humanity, tells the story of Noah and the flood, and describes the construction of the Tower of Babel and the dispersion of peoples, the origin of different nations. The haftara (Isaiah 54:1-10) brings a message of hope and renewal for Israel, emphasizing the importance of the eternal covenant between God and His people.

Isaiah 54:8
בְּשֶצֶף קֶצֶף, הִסְתַּרְתִּי פָנַי רֶגַע מִמֵּךְ, וּבְחֶסֶד עוֹלָם, רִחַמְתִּיךְ–אָמַר גֹּאֲלֵךְ, ה׳.
“In a surge of anger I hid my face from you for a moment, but with everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you,” says the Lord your Redeemer.

During the joyful celebration of Simhat Torah, after disabling surveillance systems, approximately 2,500 Islamist terrorists invade the south of Israel and commit a murderous, heinous, and unbearable pogrom. In response, the Israeli government takes decisive measures and decides on the elimination of all terrorist organizations by the Tsahal (צה”ל).

In 1862, a community of Jewish soldiers is established in the city of Rostov-on-Don. Built ⁽¹⁾ in 1872, the Soldiers’ Synagogue combines elements of Art Nouveau and Oriental styles. The facade adorned with a cornice rests on a bugnato-style base ⁽²⁾. Above the building, there are four domes, each crowned with a Star of David ⁽³⁾. A historically significant monument of regional importance, the Soldiers’ Synagogue has been in continuous operation since 2005.

¹ The financing of the synagogue was provided by the merchant Joseph Markovitch Elister. The architect Ernst Ernestovitch von Schulmann and the builder Moïsseï Leontievitch Geronimus carried out its construction.
² Bugnato is an external wall cladding style that uses bossages to create a pronounced relief.
³ The Stars of David on the domes, removed in the 1935s, were reinstalled in 2005.

Genesis 4:10:
וַיֹּאמֶר, מֶה עָשִׂיתָ; קוֹל דְּמֵי אָחִיךָ, צֹעֲקִים אֵלַי מִן-הָאֲדָמָה.
What have you done! The cry of your brother’s blood is calling to Me from the ground.

Let us remember our brothers and sisters who were massacred during our joy. United in our faith, let us pray that Hashem grants us victory over these heinous assassins, these barbarians, these outcasts of humanity, who have sown terror. Through our unity and solidarity, we can put an end to evil, contributing to the fulfillment of the final redemption and ushering in an era of peace and light for all. Let us ask God to help us, grant us His Protection, and spread peace in Israel and throughout the world.

The Synagogue of Victory, located in the heart of Paris, is a place of prayer, gathering, a symbol of faith, resilience, and unity.

(Genesis 1:3) :
וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹקִים, יְהִי-אוֹר; וַיְהִי-אוֹר
And G–od said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.

A few years ago, a student presented her final project¹ to build a synagogue in the suburbs of Paris. This project draws inspiration from the prayer of rain, ‘Tikkun Hageshem’ which evokes divine blessings and the light that floods the earth. This prayer is recited on Chemini Atseret, the joyous festival for the Torah, celebrating spiritual light and community unity.

The architectural design represents the cloud, a symbol of lightness, intangibility, and unreality. The synagogue is conceived as a multitude of light droplets through glass bricks, creating a spiritual space. External light, passing through the glass bricks, illuminates the prayer hall, highlighting the Torah ark and the lectern.

¹ Cloud of Light:: Where to Find the Booklet?