Kol Ramah

Parsha Talk with Rabbis Eliot Malomet, Barry Chesler and Jeremy Kalmanofsky. On this Yom Kippur edition of Parashah Talk we spend our time talking about Yom Kippur, Kol Nidrei, and forgiveness, among other things. Our hearts weigh heavily as we continue to think about and pray for the hostages in what is now their second year of captivity. May they be speedily returned to their families. May the s...

Parsha Talk with Rabbis Eliot Malomet, Barry Chesler and Jeremy Kalmanofsky. We are winding our way to the conclusion of our annual Torah Reading. This week’s parashah, Nitzavim-Va’yelekh [Deuteronomy 29:9-31:30] is the penultimate Shabbat reading. The following Shabbat, October 5, is Shabbat Shuvah, the Shabbat between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur; that weekly reading, Ha’azinu, concludes the Sha...

Parsha Talk with Rabbis Eliot Malomet, Barry Chesler and Jeremy Kalmanofsky. Parashat Ki Tavo [Deuteronomy 26:1-29:8] features, among other things, the ritual of the first fruits and the description of a one-time event to take place in the Land of Israel where the Israelites will assemble 6 tribes each on 2 mountains [Ebal and Gerizim for those of you keeping score] for a ritual recitation of bles...

Parsha Talk with Rabbis Eliot Malomet, Barry Chesler and Jeremy Kalmanofsky . In the words of my friend and colleague Rabbi Eliot Malomet, Parashat Ki Tetze [Deuteronomy 21:10-25:19] is mitzvah dense, containing 74 out the 613 commandments the rabbis found in the Torah, well over 10%. In our conversations we tried to extract meaning from this welter of laws by thinking about the story or stories t...

Parsha Talk with Rabbis Eliot Malomet, Barry Chesler and Jeremy Kalmanofsky. Parashat Shoftim [Deuteronomy 16:18-21:9] ordinarily provides a lot of material for conversation and discussion. On his JPS Torah Commentary, Jeffrey Tigay divides the parashah into two: Civil and Religious Authorities [16:18-18:22] and Judicial and Miltary Matters [19:1-21:9]. Given the events of the past week, we turned...

Parsha Talk with Rabbis Eliot Malomet, Barry Chesler and Jeremy Kalmanofsky. Parashat Re’eh [Deuteronomy 11:26–16:17] is the fourth parashah in Deuteronomy. After a few introductory verses, the parashah begins the lengthy section Jeffrey Tigay entitles “The Laws Given in Moab”, which continues through the next few weeks to parashat Ki Tavo, read on September 21. Deuteronomy is perhaps best known f...

Welcome to Parsha Talk with Rabbis Eliot Malomet, Barry Chesler and Jeremy Kalmanofsky. Parashat Eqev [Deuteronomy 7:12–11:25] is the third parashah in the Book of Deuteromony. Among its verses are the 7 species [8:8] which distinguish the Land of Israel, the verse [8:9] which is incorporated into the Grace after Meals and provides the halakhic [Jewish legal] basis for its recitation, and the 2nd...

Parsha Talk with Rabbis Eliot Malomet, Barry Chesler and Jeremy Kalmanofsky. Parashat Va-etchanan [Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11] contains, among other passages, the second version of the 10 Commandments, as remembered by Moshe 40 years after they were given at Sinai [Exodus 20], and the first paragraph of the Shema, the great credal statement of Judaism, together with a pssage from next week [Deuteronomy...

Palmer Day 2024 kicks off.

Parsha Talk with Rabbis Eliot Malomet, Barry Chesler and Jeremy Kalmanofsky. Parashat Devarim [Deuteronomy 1:1-3:22] opens the Book of Deuteronomy. It is a longstanding tradition to read this parashah on the Shabbat preceding Tisha B'Av, the Fast of the Ninth of Av, the day on which Jews commemorate the tragic events which have befallen us as a people. Most notably, the 9th of Av is the traditiona...

The two teams of Yom Sport present songs, cheers, and their banners. Congratulations to the blue team!!! Recorded by Amy Erlanger

A snippet of the B Side Competition that was part of Yom Sport 2024.

The kids of Nitzanim create cheers for their respective teams.

The kids of Cochavim compete during Yom Sport! It's Blue vs Green. Who's going to come out with the victory?

The kids of Camp Ramah in the Berkshires find out that Yom Sport is happening the next day, and that the theme is Monsters Inc.!

Zimriyah 2024! by Camp Ramah in the Berkshires

Jacki Honig and Alex Friedman put the Chug back in "Chugmash" One last time this summer with Parshat Matot Masei.

Parsha Talk with Rabbis Eliot Malomet, Jeremy Kalmanofsku and Barry Chesler. Parashat Mattot-Mas’ai [Numbers 30:2-36:13], the double parashah which concludes the Book of Numbers, is the longest parashah in the Torah by the number of sentences and word. Because it is a double parashah it has, perhaps, a larger number of themes than usual. We spent most of our time discussing the curious request of...

Amy Erlanger and Jamie Cosky interview campers about what being Jewish means to them.

The kids of A1 watch The Olympics.

The kids of Tzeirim put the Kol Ramah hosts, Amy and Jamie, to the test.

Jacki Honig and Alex Friedman return to discuss Pinchas and women running the world.

Parsha Talk with Rabbis Eliot Malomet, Barry Chesler and Jeremy Kalmanofsky. Parashat Pinchas [Numbers 25:10–30:1] begins with the end of the story from the last nine verses of last week’s parashah. Pinchas is apparently rewarded by God with a b’rit shalom [covenant of peace]. because he stilled God’s kin‘ah [translated as zealousness or jealousy]. We spent most of our conversation trying to under...

B13 Reacts to Video Guessing Games by Camp Ramah in the Berkshires

Parsha Talk with Rabbis Eliot Malomet, BArry Chesler and Jeremy Kalmanofsky. Parashat Balak [Numbers 22:2–25:9] follows closely on the events of last week. Balak, king of Moab, feels threatened by the approaching Israelites, and seeks help from Balaam, a prophet who lives in the wider neighborhood. Long before Mr. Ed featured a talking horse on TV, the Bible had its own story about a talking donke...