By David Bidussa*
Today is the anniversary of the pronunciation of the Cherem against Baruch de Spinoza by the members of the ma’amad of the synagogue on the Outgracht (i.e. of the Jewish-Portuguese community of Amsterdam). It was July 27, …
By David Bidussa*
“An ox knows its owner, An ass its master’s crib: Israel does not know, My people takes no thought.”. [Isaiah, I, 3]. This is the beginning of the Haftarah that we will read next week. Sometimes it …
By Yaakov Mascetti*
The fervor or passion of a man for God is traditionally exemplified in the Torah by the uncompromising behavior of Pinchas in the book of Numbers:
The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Pinchas, son of Eleazar son …
By David Bidussa*
Nobody can save themselves alone. The “second wave”, essentially, is this: the idea that it is sufficient to isolate, to pull oneself out, then, after succeeding, resume life “as before”. Together with it, comes the denial: that …
By David Bidussa
At the first difficulty, Jews around the desert complain. They want to go back to Egypt, or they make a feigned egalitarian revolt convinced that everyone should decides for themselves. We have been reading about it, including …
By David Bidussa*
Regarding statues: retelling history is never consoling and it is good that it is divisive. It is one of the reasons why history is a discussion in the present about the past, while still thinking about the …
By Yaakov Mascetti*
Two days ago, Giovannino (Yohanan) di Castro passed away in his Kibbutz, Sde Eliyahu, at the age of 96. Together with Nurit (Nora) Ravenna, Giovannino was one of the central pillars of the kibbutz he lived in …
By David Bidussa
“Black Lives Matter” written on the road leading to the White House is not like the four words “I have a dream” of 57 years ago (August 28, 1963). A guide, an idea, an image to indicate …
By David Bidussa*
“If you want a figurative symbol of the future, imagine a boot that tramples on a human face … forever.” [G. Orwell, «1984», Mondadori, Milan 1950, pp. 282-283].
Literature foresees reality.…
By David Bidussa*
Regarding the judgment on the things that have worked and those that have not work, it is advisable to keep in mind that we don’t need models or symbols, but examples. And the examples always warn us …