To every veteran, especially in our Jewish community: Thank you for protecting our freedoms, from Shabbat candles to lives saved. Your courage inspires us always.

When someone you love is struggling to build their family, it can be hard to know what to say, or how to help. Grandparents in waiting carry their own unique hopes, fears, and heartaches through the journey. Yesh Tikva is creating a dedicated space for you. Join this new Grandparents in Waiting Support Group, a warm, guided environment to share, listen, and connect with others who understand. Tuesday November 18 at 5:30 PM PST on Zoom moderated by Dr. Marian Getzler-Kramer, P

Sarah’s 37 years of motherhood defined her life; her six cries at the false news of Yitzchak’s sacrifice became the Shofar’s tekiah, and she chose Hebron’s Mearat HaMachpela for burial.

KKL-J—if launches special “Iron Swords” metal blue box, depicting IDF valor, destruction, and renewal with plowed fields and anemones, to support Gaza Envelope recovery.

SimXa’s 25th Silver Anniversary Shabbaton: Nov 27–30, Marina Del Rey Hotel. From 63 in 2001 to hundreds worldwide, this Thanksgiving weekend unites Sephardi & Ashkenazi Jews with speakers Rabbi Katzin, Rabbi Wolf & Miriam Yerushalmi, kids’ programs, Leo Chelyapov klezmer, Katya Kapelnikova concert, wine tasting & glatt kosher feasts, all brimming with Ahavas Yisrael & Torah warmth.

Elyasaf painted bomb shelters with oceans and giraffes. On October 7th, as rockets fell, families hid inside, police asked: “What’s on the wall?” Only Elyasaf knew. His art became a map to save lives. Your small act? The world needs it.

Leftovers aren’t repeats, they’re remixes! Yesterday’s chicken becomes wraps, rice turns fried, Shabbat bread morphs into enchilada casserole. Kids whine? Add a twist, share the plate, and teach: “It tastes better when we care.” Say thank you, clean up, and turn “ugh” into “yum!”, because imagination makes every meal a masterpiece.

In the new Jewish year, reset the dance: when she feels safe, she laughs like a child—trust made visible. When he leads with calm integrity, her softness returns. His stability is her exhale; her playfulness is his homecoming. Beneath control and distance lies a sacred truth: protect her freedom, restore polarity, and love breathes again.

In Lech-Lecha, G-d's vague promise to Abraham, leave everything for an unknown land, seems like a terrible deal, yet he goes, trading certainty for self-discovery and infinity. Like marketing's risks, it's not about guarantees but potential greatness.

Abraham, 75 and wealthy, walks away from Haran’s security for God’s vague promise, no ROI, no guarantees. The Torah’s lesson to Jewish entrepreneurs: security is the most expensive purchase. Haran decisions preserve; Lech-Lecha decisions transform. Build something worth blessing. Legacy > liquidity. Significance > safety.

At 6 a.m. in Israel, the hostages return. Yellow ribbons fall, beards are shaved, tears of joy flow. We traded 20 lives for 2,000 terrorists, because every Jewish soul is priceless. Simchat Torah teaches: endings are beginnings. Daniel is buried, Matan honors him, and we rise, carrying the fallen, beating as one lev, heart of a nation.

Avraham’s first test: “Lech Lecha”, leave everything for an unknown land. Not just geography, but a soul journey. “Go to yourself.” True bliss isn’t ignorance, it’s knowing. Gematria: לך לך = 100 brachos daily to instill gratitude. Avraham didn’t ignore reality; he embraced it to live with purpose. We can too.

In life-or-death cases, halacha demands evidence-based medicine. For non-critical issues, natural remedies like amber stones are permissible if free from idolatry or superstition. Emergency spells are allowed to calm the mind, but proven paths are preferred, consult a Rav.

Rav Kook on Cheshvan: “When the soul shines, even foggy skies radiate light”, a reminder for dark times, like hostages returning with unbroken faith. Avraham’s courage? He dressed against trends, standing apart as a revolutionary. Five insights: humanity restarts with Avraham; he and Sarah are eternal influencers; first olim; brit milah’s devotion; from idolater to moral visionary.

"After your video I lost 97% of my business.” One text turned a TikTok food flop into a kosher firestorm. What started as a sketchy Uber Eats order in a back-alley ghost kitchen became a viral controversy, a single mom’s fight for her yeshiva kids, and, BH, an epic redemption. From double-wrapped ovens to OK-certified tacos, Sweet and Spizy is now open at 5450 W Pico Blvd with a mezuzah on the door and the most authentic kosher Mexican in America on the table.

After two years of Hamas aggression since October 7, 2023, a deal emerged on October 8, 2025: all Israeli hostages freed for 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, with Israel withdrawing post-release. This reflects moral strength, not weakness, driven by Trump’s leverage of Abraham Accords allies to isolate Hamas. Vigilance is key, Hamas’s past demands it. Saving 20 lives? A triumph worth more than any Nobel, earned through unapologetic resolve.

Avraham’s first act upon receiving Hashem’s promise? He built an altar, not for the land or children, but for the appearance of Hashem. The Or HaChaim teaches: gratitude for the gift of connection trumps all else. Like Modeh Ani at dawn and Modim D’Rabanan in prayer, true thanks must be personal. Three simple acts, say thank you, give time, do a favor, turn gratitude into a daily mitzvah, the free gift that transforms lives.

Avinatan Or, a hostage survivor, returned home to Shiloh after two years in Hamas captivity. Thousands of Binyamin residents celebrated with flags, dancing, and a motorcyclist convoy. At the emotional welcome, Avinatan said, “Our strength is in our unity; only through love will we prevail.”

Sivan Rahav Meir shares inspiring stories of hostages returned from Gaza, highlighting their faith. Eitan Horn fasted on Yom Kippur, Segev Kalfon yearned to shout Shema Yisrael, and Eliya Cohen imagined wearing tefillin. Amid challenges, 17 babies born in Sderot symbolize life. Rabbi Moshe Hauer’s legacy inspires a global Jewish awakening, urging us to find our personal ark in Torah and community.

Parashat Noach highlights Noah's righteousness, his 120-year ark build, and the flood that reset the world after 10 sinful generations. The Zohar notes Cham, the raven, and dog sinned in the ark, with Cham's transgression marking him. Noah's sons Shem, Cham, Yafet represent Judaism, Christianity, Islam, shaping nations. The flood separated continents, fossilizing dinosaurs, with the world now 5786 years old.