The start of the new year at college always falls around one of these Devarim (Deuteronomy) Torah portions, this year in Parshat Shoftim. We ought to always look to Torah for guidance in our daily lives, especially as the Alter … Read the rest

What does the biblical word “Heichaltzu” mean to you? Most people won’t be familiar with it, as it isn’t a common Hebrew word, but those who do will usually connect it with military preparedness, arming oneself for war, or perhaps general … Read the rest

THE MILK RESCUE OPERATION

One hot summer Friday we get a call that the refrigerator system broke down on a large tractor-trailer truck laden with Kosher Chalav-Yisrael (a super-Kosher dairy tradition that we observe) milk and they have to get rid of … Read the rest

Each summer, usually in July, there’s a period called “The Three Weeks” observed as a time of semi-mourning between the fast-days of the 17th of Tammuz and Tisha B’Av. For those observant of these traditions, there are no weddings, concerts … Read the rest

For some reason this week I’ve been researching the water-cycle. And I realized something about Graduation: 

The water-cycle is this amazing journey of water through alternating stages of solid, liquid and gas, from evaporation to condensation, and back again to … Read the rest

This year (5777 / 2016-7) our Sunday Talmud studied “HaBayit v’Aliyah” the tenth chapter of Bava Metziah, once a week after prayers at the Minyan Brunch.

The last Mishna in “HaBayit v’Aliyah” the 10th chapter (all about upstairs and downstairs apartments) … Read the rest

In honor of Cholent Cookoff 2017 at Shabbos House, I (Mendel) asked the crowd for messages they could think of that can be learned from Cholent (that slow-cooked traditional hot dish for Shabbos Day Lunch) applied to raising children – … Read the rest

For our Israel Shabbos Dinner, we did a Israeli City Trivia night, with each table assigned to a different city or town in Israel. Rabbi Mendel read the trivia clues, and that table had to cheer when they realized their … Read the rest

If you’re looking for info about Kosher food at UAlbany, see this page or this info page for prospective students. 

This post here is an insight and life message we shared on Parshat Shemini (a Torah portion about the … Read the rest

Every couch at Shabbos House has a story: it’s history, associated memories, and particular usefulness.  Let me tell you the story of a couch, let’s call it the “Yom HaShoah Couch”. 

Years ago there was this fine well-designed fabric couch … Read the rest