Month: January 2025

Bo (בא – Go)
^{Exodus 10:1–13:16 and Jeremiah 46:13–28}

The last three plagues strike Egypt, forcing Pharaoh to release the Hebrews. In the haftarah, the prophet Jeremiah delivers a message of hope: God promises to save His people, bring them back to their land, and restore their prosperity.

Exodus 10:21
נְטֵה יָדְךָ עַל-הַשָּׁמַיִם, וִיהִי חֹשֶׁךְ
Stretch out your hand toward the sky so that darkness will spread.

A total darkness fell over the city of Guayaquil, Ecuador, during the solar eclipse of 2019. Unlike the darkness in Egypt, which lasted three days, this darkness only lasted a few minutes. However, it left a strong impression due to its intensity.

The Jewish community in Guayaquil, one of the smallest in Ecuador, was formed with the arrival of Ashkenazi Jews in 1940, fleeing Nazi persecution. Initially established in an apartment, it moved several times. In 2012, the community inaugurated its new center with modern architectural design in the Urdesa citadel. The complex features green spaces, a synagogue, a kindergarten, and a mikveh for men and women, as well as a large social area with natural gardens and a pool for hosting events and activities.

Vaera (וארא – And I Appeared)
^{Exodus 6:2–9:35 and Ezekiel 28:25–29:21}

This Torah portion tells the story of the confrontation between Moses and Pharaoh and describes the first seven plagues inflicted upon Egypt⁽¹⁾. In the haftarah, the prophet Ezekiel announces the gathering of Israel and the judgment of Egypt⁽¹⁾ for its arrogance.

Exodus 9:23
וַה’ נָתַן קֹלֹת וּבָרָד, וַתִּהֲלַךְ אֵשׁ אָרְצָה; וַיַּמְטֵר ה’ בָּרָד
And Hashem sent thunder and hail,
and fire ran along the ground; and Hashem caused hail to fall.

In 2022, the new Australian Prime Minister⁽²⁾ overturned the decision of his predecessor⁽³⁾, who had recognized West Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Since then, the government has started using the term “Occupied Palestinian Territories” to refer to Judea and Samaria, Gaza, and East Jerusalem, and an increase in antisemitic incidents has been noted. Since 2022, Australia has experienced several extreme weather events, including violent cyclones, hailstorms, especially in Brisbane⁽⁴⁾, floods, and large-scale fires.

The Brisbane Synagogue, located in the city center, was inaugurated in 1886. Designed by architect Richard Gailey, it is the oldest active synagogue in Queensland. Its neo-Romanesque style is distinguished by a stone façade and round arches. The stained glass windows were made by the famous Mayer of Munich factory⁽⁵⁾. It is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register⁽⁶⁾ due to its historical and architectural significance.

⁽¹⁾ Egypt symbolizes oppression, idolatry, tyranny, and the arrogance of forces opposed to the divine will.
⁽²⁾ Anthony Albanese, leader of the Australian Labor Party, elected in 2022, with the next elections scheduled for 2025.
⁽³⁾ Scott Morrison, an evangelical Pentecostal Christian, member of the Liberal Party of Australia, served as Minister for Finance from 2015 to 2018 and Prime Minister from 2018 to 2022.
⁽⁴⁾ In Brisbane, in 2022, tennis ball-sized hailstones caused significant damage.
⁽⁵⁾ Founded in 1847 in Munich, Germany, the Mayer of Munich factory is recognized worldwide for the exceptional quality of its handmade stained glass windows.
⁽⁶⁾ This listing recognizes the building as a key element of the region’s historical and cultural heritage and prohibits any alterations to the building that would affect its architectural integrity.

Shemot (שְׁמוֹת – The Names)
^{Exodus 1:1–6:1 and Isaiah 27:6–28:13; 29:22–23}

A new Pharaoh subjects the Hebrews to harsher servitude and orders the drowning of the male firstborns. Moses, saved from the water by Pharaoh’s daughter, is raised in the royal court. As an adult, he kills an Egyptian mistreating a Hebrew and flees to Midian. There, God appears to him in a burning bush and commands him to return to Egypt to free the Hebrews. In the Haftarah, Isaiah prophesies the redemption of Israel, announcing the end of exile and the spiritual restoration of the nation.

Exodus 2:10
וַתִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ מֹשֶׁה וַתֹּאמֶר כִּי מִן-הַמַּיִם מְשִׁיתִהוּ
She called him Moses, saying, I drew him out of the water.

The Scola Levantina, erected in 1541 by Levantine Jews⁽¹⁾, is one of the five historical synagogues in the ghetto⁽²⁾ of Venice. All these synagogues are built on upper floors to limit the effects of acqua alta⁽³⁾. Its interior, in baroque style, is dominated by red tones. The ceiling adorned with geometric patterns supports bronze chandeliers, while the windows, formed of glass discs, resemble boat buoys. The Holy Ark and the bimah, richly decorated, are surrounded by carved wooden benches, and the women’s gallery, adorned with an elegant balustrade, overlooks the prayer space.

⁽¹⁾ Levantine Jews are from the eastern Mediterranean regions under Ottoman rule, particularly Greece and Turkey.
⁽²⁾ The Venice Ghetto was created in 1516. It is the world’s first Jewish ghetto. Jews were confined there at night and monitored by Christian guards. The word “ghetto” derives from the Italian ghèto, meaning “foundry,” referencing the industrial site where this neighborhood was established.
⁽³⁾ Acqua alta is an Italian term meaning “high waters,” referring to the exceptional tides that regularly flood Venice and affect all its buildings.

Vaye’hi (ויחי – And he lived)
^{Genesis 47:28–50:26 and I Kings 2:1–12}

Both texts reflect the transmission of a spiritual and moral legacy. Aware of his imminent death, Jacob blesses Ephraim and Manasseh, then gathers his sons to give them blessings and warnings. After his passing, his sons bury him in Machpelah. The parasha concludes with Joseph’s death, during which he reaffirms God’s promise to the Children of Israel to return to the land of Israel (Canaan). In the haftarah, David, sensing his end is near, blesses Solomon and imparts instructions for his reign.

Genesis 49:9 ⁽¹⁾
גּוּר אַרְיֵה יְהוּדָה, מִטֶּרֶף בְּנִי עָלִיתָ; כָּרַע רָבַץ כְּאַרְיֵה וּכְלָבִיא, מִי יְקִימֶנּוּ.
Judah is a young lion. You have risen above the prey, my son. You crouched, you lay down like a lion or like a leopard. Who would dare awaken you?

Kibbutz Lavi ⁽²⁾, founded in 1949 by Shoah survivors ⁽³⁾, is a religious kibbutz located in Lower Galilee. It operates a world-renowned factory, Lavi Furniture Industries, which produces custom-made liturgical furniture ⁽⁴⁾ for more than 6,000 synagogues in 70 countries. Over the years, Lavi has developed a luxury hotel and various agricultural branches, including field crops, orchards, a dairy farm, a cattle herd, and poultry farming. The synagogue, built in 1956, is distinguished by its high-quality furniture, crafted by the kibbutz’s carpentry factory.

⁽¹⁾ Commentary: Judah, a young king, embodies exemplary self-control, rising above predatory instincts. His tranquil sovereignty, ready to assert itself when needed, poses the question: who would dare challenge him?
⁽²⁾ Lavi (לָבִיא = leopard) is the name of an inn located along the road from Tzippori to Tiberias, dating from the 2nd to the 6th century. Remains of the inn have been discovered near the kibbutz.
⁽³⁾ Notably from the Kindertransport operation, a humanitarian mission carried out by Britain between 1938 and 1940, which saved children, mainly Jewish, from Nazi persecution by evacuating them to the United Kingdom. Around 10,000 children were hosted by British foster families, saving their lives, though many lost their parents during the Shoah.
⁽⁴⁾ In 2015, Lavi Furniture Industries completed a reconstruction of the Polish synagogue destroyed by the Nazis in 1939. This work was commissioned for the Forest Hill Jewish Centre in Toronto.

Vayigash (ויגש – Then he approached)
^{Genesis 44:18–47:27 and Ezekiel 37:15–28}

Joseph gathers his family in Egypt and settles them in the land of Goshen(1), ensuring their survival. The prophet Ezekiel foretells the reunification of the tribes of Israel—two narratives celebrating the unity of the Jewish people.

Genesis 45:10
Joseph sends an invitation to his father through his brothers:
וְיָשַׁבְתָּ בְאֶרֶץ-גֹּשֶׁן
You shall dwell in the land of Goshen.

Founded in the 9th century, the Ben Ezra Synagogue, located in Cairo, is one of Egypt’s oldest. Restored multiple times over the centuries, it stands as a testament to the continuity and prosperity of the Jewish community in Egypt. The current structure, built in 1850, elegantly blends Jewish and Islamic architectural influences. Its interior, adorned with carved wood and geometric patterns, showcases the remarkable craftsmanship of the era. The synagogue houses the famous Genizah⁽²⁾, where valuable ancient documents were discovered, providing an invaluable resource for Jewish history.

⁽¹⁾ The region of Goshen is located in the eastern Nile Delta, near modern-day Ismailia, approximately 100 kilometers east-northeast of Cairo.
⁽²⁾ A Genizah is a storage place for worn or damaged religious items that cannot be destroyed. The Cairo Genizah revealed documents dating from the 9th to the 19th century, including biblical fragments, correspondence, commercial records, and other writings essential to Jewish history.