Rabbi Effie's Podcasts

Dvar Torah on Parashat Toldot

"Ripped From The Headlines": Presenting topics in current events considered through the lens of Jewish law and thought. Class delivered at Midreshet Torat Chesed. Canada’s continuing expansion of Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) has sparked profound ethical debates worldwide, culminating in intense communal friction over rabbinic rulings regarding end-of-life choices and communal buria...

"Aliyah L'Regel": An inspirational journey through the Jewish Calendar through the lens presented by teachings of great Jewish thinkers. Class delivered at Midreshet Torat Chesed. The calendar month of Marheshvan brings with it a unique blend of quiet introspective waiting and historic communal restoration. Chief among these reflections is the powerful celebration of Sigd , a holiday...

"Ripped From The Headlines": Presenting topics in current events considered through the lens of Jewish law and thought. Class delivered at Midreshet Torat Chesed. Canada’s continuing expansion of Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) has sparked profound ethical debates worldwide, culminating in intense communal friction over rabbinic rulings regarding end-of-life choices and communal buria...

"Ripped From The Headlines": Presenting topics in current events considered through the lens of Jewish law and thought. Class delivered at Midreshet Torat Chesed. When high-profile criminal cases culminate in a mistrial due to a hung jury, it highlights fundamental questions about how secular legal systems determine guilt, handle deliberation, and seek justice. Standing in stark contrast...

Dvar Torah on Parashat Chayei Sarah

Exploring the ten tests of Avraham, why Hashem challenged Avraham in these ways, and how we can prepare to overcome challenges in our lives. Shiur delivered to FJL alumni in Tel Aviv

Dvar Torah on Parashat Vayeira 5787

Aliyah L'Regel

Ripped From The Headlines

Dvar Torah on Parashat Lech Lecha 5787

Ripped From The Headlines

Ripped From The Headlines

"Aliyah L'Regel": An inspirational journey through the Jewish Calendar through the lens presented by teachings of great Jewish thinkers. Class delivered at Midreshet Torat Chesed. As we transition into the autumn and winter months, our daily prayers shift to acknowledge the natural phenomena that sustain our world—from dramatic storms to the life-giving rains of Eretz Yisrael . But w...

Aliyah L'Regel

Ripped From The Headlines

Dvar Torah for Parashat Noach 5787

Shiur delivered in Tel Aviv to FJL Alumni and friends: As we restart the annual Torah cycle with Parshat Bereishit, we are confronted with the ultimate existential questions: Why does any of this exist, and how do we navigate the internal battles that define the human experience? In this special class delivered in Tel Aviv, we unpack the foundational narrative of Creation through deep Jewish thoug...

Dvar Torah for Parashat Bereishit 5787

"Aliyah L'Regel": An inspirational journey through the Jewish Calendar through the lens presented by teachings of great Jewish thinkers. Class delivered at Midreshet Torat Chesed. As the intense, feature-packed month of Tishrei draws to a close, we enter MarCheshvan—a month famous for having zero holidays and a quiet return to mundane routines. How do we take the spiritual high of Ro...

"Ripped From The Headlines": Presenting topics in current events considered through the lens of Jewish law and thought. Class delivered at Midreshet Torat Chesed. When reports emerged that Flydubai Flight 1073—en route from Dubai to Tel Aviv with over 160 Israeli passengers onboard—was experiencing an attempted airborne hijacking, Israeli security forces faced an agonizing, split-second...

Dvar Torah for Chag Sukkot 5787

Shiur delivered in Tel Aviv to FJL Alumni and friends: When we think about Teshuva (repentance) during the High Holidays, we often default to a legalistic mindset: counting transgressions, fixing mistakes, and seeking forgiveness. But is Teshuva merely a corrective measure, or can it become the ultimate spark for a vibrant, deeply passionate Jewish life? In this special class, we reframe the High...

"Aliyah L'Regel": An inspirational journey through the Jewish Calendar through the lens presented by teachings of great Jewish thinkers. Class delivered at Midreshet Torat Chesed. As Yom Kippur approaches, our focus sharpens on repairing human relationships and standing before God in complete vulnerability. But how do we bridge the gap between abstract spiritual ideals and practical,...

"Ripped From The Headlines": Presenting topics in current events considered through the lens of Jewish law and thought. Class delivered at Midreshet Torat Chesed. In an era of viral TikTok videos, internet sleuths, and crowdsourced moral judgment—a phenomenon dubbed "secular sharia"—publicly exposing someone's wrongdoing can happen in an instant. But when societal norms shi...