Author Archive: rspolter

Parshat Hashavua for Parshat Miketz 5781 – Seeing the Light at the End of the Tunnel

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This week’s lesson is with Rabbi Reuven Spolter

As the world begins to receive COVID-19 vaccinations, we can begin to the see the end of this terrible global pandemic. This idea of the “beginning of the end” is encoded into the name of Parashat Miketz. What does the word “Miketz” mean, and what can we learn from it?

You can find the source sheets here if you’d like to print them out for the Shabbat table.
Know a family looking for an excellent Jewish learning option for their Middle School Children? Kitah for Home Plus begins on January 4, 2021.

Parshat Hashavua for Parshat Vayeishev 5781 – Can a Parent Have a Favorite Child?

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This week’s lesson is with Rabbi Reuven Spolter

In a recent episode of the Crown, Margaret Thatcher mentions that he son is her favorite child. This raises the challenging question of whether parents can or should have favorites. In Parashat Vayeishev, the Torah tells us that Yaakov preferred Yosef, leading to disastrous results. Does this mean we should not have favorites? The Midrash teaches us that the lesson is a bit more complicated than we might have thought.

You can find the source sheets here if you’d like to print them out for the Shabbat table.
Know a family looking for an excellent Jewish learning option for their Middle School Children? Kitah for Home Plus begins on January 4, 2021.

Parshat Hashavua for Parshat Vayishlach 5781 – Yaakov and Eisav: Jews in a Non-Jewish World

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This week’s lesson is with Rabbi Reuven Spolter

The Sages viewed the fateful reunion between Yaakov and Eisav as a symbol of the future relationship between Yaakov’s descendants – the Jewish people, and Eisav’s progeny, the nation of Edom. In the verse that describes their meeting in the Torah, we find some strange dots. What do they mean, and what can those dots teach us about our relationship with the world around us?

You can find the source sheets here if you’d like to print them out for the Shabbat table.
Know a family looking for an excellent Jewish learning option for their Middle School Children? Kitah for Home Plus begins on January 4, 2021.

Parshat Hashavua for Parshat Vayetze 5781

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This week’s lesson is with Rabbi Johnny Solomon

In our parashah, Yaakov reaches “the place” where he stops for the night and dreams his famous dream with the ladder that reaches the heavens. In the text, we find an unusual number of mentions of this “place”. Rav Johnny Solomon describes one explanation for this phenomenon.

You can find the source sheets here if you’d like to print them out for the Shabbat table.
Know a family looking for an excellent Jewish learning option for their Middle School Children? Kitah for Home Plus begins on January 4, 2021.

Parshat Hashavua for Parshat Toldot 5781

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This week’s lesson is with Rabbi Reuven Spolter

In our parashah, Yaakov is faced with the challenge that if he follows his mother’s instructions, he has to lie to his father. What do you do when you cannot tell the truth? In this Kitah lesson, we see how Rashi explains what Yaakov tried to do to solve his problem.

You can find the source sheets here if you’d like to print them out for the Shabbat table.
Know a family looking for an excellent Jewish learning option for their Middle School Children? Kitah for Home Plus begins on January 5, 2021.

Parshat Hashavua for Parshat Chayei Sarah 5781

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Kitah’s Parshah Lesson for Chayei Sarah 5781 – with Rabbi Johnny Solomon

In our parashah, we find Avraham taking an active role in purchasing a burial plot for his wife, as well as in finding a wife for his son. Based on this narrative, Rabbi Johnny Solomon shares a powerful idea from Rabbi Dr. Jonathan Sacks zt”l about faith and action.

You can find the source sheets here if you’d like to print them out for the Shabbat table.
Know a family looking for an excellent Jewish learning option for their Middle School Children? Kitah for Home Plus begins on January 5, 2021.

Parshat Hashavua for Parshat Vayera 5781

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Kitah’s Parshah Lesson for Vayera 5781 – with Rabbi Reuven Spolter

Benjamin Franklin wrote in his “Poor Richard’s Almanac” that one should “Speak little, do much.” Who did he learn this lesson from in our Parshah?

You can find the source sheets here if you’d like to print them out for the Shabbat table.
Know a family looking for an excellent Jewish learning option for their Middle School Children? Kitah for Home Plus begins on January 5, 2021.

Rabbi Spolter of Kitah on JM Sunday with Mattes Weingast

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Recently, Rabbi Reuven Spolter was a guest on the JM Sunday program with host Mattis Weingast.

In a wide-ranging discussion, Rabbi Spolter explained how Kitah is designed and some of the benefits that Kitah can bring to the Jewish classroom.

You can listen to the file below, and we’d love to hear your feedback!

Parshat Hashavua for Parshat Lech Lecha 5781

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Kitah’s Parshah Lesson for Lech Lecha 5781 – with Rabbi Reuven Spolter

This week we read about Avram’s different adventures and trials. We also meet a person who we learn has incredible strenght and power – an ancient Iron Man. Do you know who he is?

You can find the source sheets here if you’d like to print them out for the Shabbat table.
Know a family looking for an excellent Jewish learning option for their Middle School Children? Kitah for Home Plus begins on January 5, 2021.

Parshat Hashavua for Parshat Noach 5781

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Kitah’s Parshah Lesson for Noach 5781 – with Rabbi Johnny Solomon

After the flood, Noach sends out a raven and a dove. But why does he use these two birds for this purpose? Who gave him permission to do so? And what can we learn from here about the connection between Noach and Moshe?

You can find the source sheets here if you’d like to print them out for the Shabbat table. To learn more about Kitah for Home, click here.