By Rabbi Mordechai Levin
Many of us run from one place to another, trying to keep up with schedules, appointments and various responsibilities. For many, life resembles an unending and exhausting daily marathon.
Rabbi Nachman of Bratzlav (1772-1811) told the following story. Once upon a time, from his window that … More
By Rabbi Mordechai Levin
At the age of two, an Israeli child, Avichai Sheli, lost his hearing due to a disease. The physicians told his parents that their son would never speak, and until he was four years old, they thought he was mute.
But his mother ignored the physicians … More
By Rabbi Mordechai Levin
Rosh Hashanah marks the beginning of a 10-day period of prayer, self-examination and repentance, which culminates on Yom Kippur. These 10 days are referred to as Yamim Noraim, the Days of Awe, or Aseret Yemei Teshuvah, the Ten Days of Repentance.
The High Holidays – as … More
By Rabbi Mordechai Levin
The evening of June 1, 2019 will mark the beginning of Shavuot, the festival that celebrates the giving of the Torah to the Jewish people at Mount Sinai 32 centuries ago. The holiday is called Z’man Matan Toratenu, the season of the giving of the Torah.… More
By Rabbi Mordechai Levin
We are commanded in the Torah (Deuteronomy 6:18): “Do what is right and good in the sight of the Lord, so that it may go well with you.” We may ask ourselves: What does it mean to do what is right and good? What kind of … More
By Rabbi Mordechai Levin
In several days we will celebrate Pesach, the holiday which commemorates our ancestors’ exodus from slavery in Egypt 3,200 years ago. We will gather at our homes for the Seder, and we will read the Haggadah, the book used to tell the story.
In the Haggadah … More
By Rabbi Mordechai Levin
A few weeks ago we celebrated Yom Haatzmaut, Israel’s Independence Day, and Yom Yirushalaim, Jerusalem’s Day. The great significance of these two dates can be appreciated by looking back at Jewish history.
At the beginning of the war of liberation fought by the Jews … More
By Rabbi Mordechai Levin
One of Pesach’s most important symbols is the matzah, which we eat during the festival’s eight days. The commandment to eat matzah appears 10 times in the Torah. Jewish tradition requires eating matzah on the first two nights of Pesach. On the other days of Pesach … More
Rabbi Levin 
is the rabbi of Congregation Beth Israel in Munster, IN. He received his rabbinic ordination from the Latin American Rabbinical Seminary, and is a member of the Rabbinical Assembly. In 2010, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Divinity from the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York City for his years of dedicated service to the Conservative movement and the Jewish community...Full bio