Yom Ha'atzmaut

Embark on a journey of Jewish learning and discovery, exploring the depth of our Yom Ha'atzmaut resources, where tagged items including audio, programs, and podcast episodes await your exploration.

Yom Ha'atzmaut: A 74 Piece Orchestra

Rabbi Jay Kelman

Four, seven, ten, eighteen, forty, seventy, for Jews around the world have an immediate and reflective association(s). The four questions, seven days of the week, the "10 commandments”, 18 symbolizing life, 40 days Moshe spent on Mount Sinai, the 70…
Article
May 5, 2022

e-TiM: Yom Haatzmaut: Yechezkel’s Dry Bones and Yirmiyahu’s New Covenant: Modern Messages of Independence

Rabbi Allen Schwartz

Yechezkel’s Dry Bones and Yirmiyahu’s New Covenant: Modern Messages of Independence Participants should have the texts of Yechezkel 37 and Yirmiyahu 31.  
Program
May 2, 2022

Yom Haatzmaut: Stuck in Traffic

Rabbi Jay Kelman

A few years ago while on a visit to Israel, my good friend Michael Levenstein z”l, in whose memory this devar Torah is dedicated, was giving my wife and me a lift back to our hotel. While we were stuck in a traffic jam in Jerusalem, Michael, noting…
Article
Apr 15, 2021

Yom Haatzmaut: Thoughts at Seventy-two

Rabbi Jay Kelman

“Shimon ben Azzai said: I have received a tradition from the seventy-two elders on the day when they appointed Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah head of the academy, that all sacrifices which are eaten, though slaughtered shelo lishma,…
Article
Apr 29, 2020

e-TiM: Ordinary Israelis and Extraordinary History

Rabbi Lee Buckman

Join Rabbi Lee Buckman online from Israel for a special Yom Ha'atzmaut program at 12 noon, EST.
Program
Apr 27, 2020

Yom Haatzmaut: Thoughts at Seventy-One

Rabbi Jay Kelman

The period of sefirat haomer has undergone great transformation over the ages. In the Torah itself, it links the korban haomer brought on the second day of Pesach with the korban shtei halechem brought on Shavuot, …
Article
May 9, 2019

Yom Ha'atzmaut: Turning Seventy

Rabbi Jay Kelman

“And Yaakov worked for Rachel for seven years, and they appeared in his eyes like just a few because of his love for her” (Breisheet 29:20). Seven years is a long time to wait to marry the love of one’s life. Seven years is long to…
Article
Apr 19, 2018

Yom Ha'atzmaut 68

Rabbi Jay Kelman

“In every generation one must see himself as if he had left Egypt.” Pesach may seem like a distant memory despite it having concluded less than two weeks ago. Yet it is the legacy of Pesach that hovers so strongly in the 21st century.    Pesach…
Article
May 12, 2016

Yom Ha'atzmaut 67

Rabbi Jay Kelman

When speaking at a wedding, brit, bar or bat mitzvah and the like, one generally looks to the parsha of the week to find some connection. Some are obvious, some demonstrate great insight and some might even be contrived. As we celebrate Yom…
Article
Apr 23, 2015

Yom Ha'atzmaut: The Most Important Mitzvah

Rabbi Jay Kelman

One of the Rambam's principles of faith is the eternity of the Torah. While historical circumstances may prevent the performance of certain mitzvoth, the mitzvah of Talmud Torah encompasses these "theoretical" mitzvoth as we hope that…
Article
May 6, 2014