Adina Lewittes

Friday February 13, 2026/26 Sh'vat 5786/Parashat Mishpatim-Shabbat Shekalim Hevre/Friends,   My daughter Nomi and I came to Costa Rica to celebrate her 25th birthday with four days in the jungle and the balance at a yoga resort. The precious days we’ve had together have gifted us so many opportunities for deep mother-daughter conversation and sharing; something we, thankfully, enjoy regularly with each other. But being away from the busy-ness of life and today’s chaotic world has made...

Friday February 6, 2026/19 Sh'vat 5786/Parashat Yitro Hevre/Friends, In a world wracked by so much chaos of so many kinds, we ache for leaders. Moral, political, spiritual leaders on whom we can depend; who steady our fear and anxiousness with dignity, with courage and competence; who bring us hope. We look outside ourselves for clarity and direction. But there’s somewhere else we ought to look first. One of the most meaningful pieces of Torah from the late Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, z”l, is his...

Friday January 30, 2026/12 Sh'vat 5786/Parashat B'Shalach Shabbat Shirah Hevre/Friends, What a week.  An emotional rollercoaster. Ran Gvili, z”l, was finally brought home from Gaza for burial.  Closure for the hostages.  Relief for us all.  Ongoing heartbreak for the devastation of October 7, as the families whose lives were shattered keep searching for how to carry their burdens. (Read Rachel Goldberg Polin’s aching essay this week here .) Chaos, shootings, and the killing of Alex Pretti on...