Chayei Sarah (“The Life of Sarah”) opens as Sarah dies and Abraham buys the Cave of Machpelah to bury her. Abraham sends his servant to find a wife for Isaac. The servant meets Rebecca at a well, and Rebecca returns with the servant to marry Isaac. Abraham remarries, has more children, and dies at age Continue Reading »
Join us on Zoom for Torah Study. This week's parashah is Vayeitzei - (“He Went Out”) - in which Jacob sleeps with a rock for his pillow and dreams of angels going up and down a ladder: the original "stairway to heaven." He continues on his journey toward the home of his uncle Laban, Continue Reading »
"G-d Struggling" Join us on Zoom Monday, December 1, 2025 Shalom fellow KBS learners, Thank you for joining us as we deepen our Jewish learning together. We learned a lot from our first meeting, and are eager to see where we go from here. Thank you to Ruthellen for the prompt that will be the Continue Reading »
Join us on Zoom for the KBS Torah Study. This week's parashah is Vayeishev / וַיֵּשֶׁב (“He settled”), beginning the story of Joseph, describing his rivalry with his brothers, slavery in Egypt, and imprisonment after his master’s wife frames him for refusing her advances. It also includes the story of Tamar, her husbands, and her Continue Reading »
Torah Study: Mikeitz Saturday, Dec 20, 10AM HST on Zoom Mikeitz (“After”) follows Joseph as he interprets Pharaoh's dreams and rises to become second-in-command to Pharaoh. When Joseph’s brothers come to Egypt seeking food during a famine, Joseph accuses them of spying. He insists that they return with their youngest brother, Benjamin, and later plants Continue Reading »
Torah Study: Vayigash Saturday, Dec 27, 10AM HST on Zoom Vayigash וַיִּגַּשׁ (“He Approached”) opens as Judah pleads with Joseph not to keep Benjamin as a prisoner. Joseph reveals his true identity to his brothers, crying and kissing them. The brothers bring Jacob from Canaan to Egypt, and Jacob and his children settle in Goshen. The Continue Reading »
"Jacob Blessing the Sons of Joseph" (1656) by Rembrandt Vayechi וַיְחִי (“He Lived”) is the final Torah portion in the Book of Genesis. Jacob prepares for his death, making favorite son Joseph swear to bury him in the Cave of Machpelah. Jacob blesses Joseph’s two sons and his own 12 sons and then dies. Jacob’s Continue Reading »
Please email info@konabethshalom.org for Zoom connection details. The discussion will also be live-streamed via the KBS YouTube channel.
The Burning Bush by Mayim Eliana Ebert Shemot שְׁמוֹת (“names”) is the first Torah portion in the Book of Exodus. It describes the bitter enslavement of the Israelites in Egypt; a royal decree that all Hebrew boy babies be killed; how the newborn Moses is rescued in a basket on the Nile, and adopted into Continue Reading »
"Vaera" ©Karin Foreman - Gratefully used with permission of the artist Vaera וָאֵרָא(“I Appeared”) opens as God promises to redeem the enslaved Israelites and bring them to the Promised Land. When Pharaoh repeatedly refuses to let the Israelites go, God sends a series of plagues: water turning to blood, frogs, lice, wild animals, death of livestock, Continue Reading »
"Song of Miriam" - William Gale Beshalach בְּשַׁלַּח (“When He Let Go”) describes the splitting of the Red Sea and the song the Israelites sing upon crossing through. In the desert, God sweetens bitter water and provides manna and quail. The portion ends recounting the victory of the Israelites against an attack by the Amalekites. Continue Reading »
In parasahah Yitro / יִתְרוֹ (“Jethro”) as Moses reunites with his father-in-law Yitro and accepts his advice to appoint judges who will help govern the Israelites. The Israelites prepare to encounter God at Mount Sinai. God descends amidst fire, smoke, thunder, and the blast of a shofar and gives the Ten Commandments. Join in on Zoom this Continue Reading »