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Sam Cohen

Sam Cohen

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

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A Home That Lives With You

A Home That Lives With You

We tend to think of a home as a place that contains life. The walls hold; the rooms shelter; what happens inside remains private. The Torah suggests...

latest 10

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

Sam Cohen

From the Altar to the Table

From the Altar to the Table

“Holy” is not an easy word for the modern ear. It can sound distant, austere, even antiquated — a relic from another religious age. In our...

05.04.2026 40

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

Sam Cohen

No — I Thank You

A man once came to the great Chassidic master, Rabbi Dov Ber of Mezeritch, deeply troubled. His business had collapsed, his home was filled with...

22.03.2026 40

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

Sam Cohen

On the Way Home

As we approach Pesach, the story of Pharaoh speaks directly to our present moment—a warning about what happens when leadership refuses to...

19.03.2026 40

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

Sam Cohen

Where the Light Enters

Sefer Vayikra opens with a quiet, measured order—an unfolding sequence of offerings brought to the Altar. Bulls, sheep, birds, and even a humble...

15.03.2026 50

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

Sam Cohen

Loosening the Grip of Time

Late on a Friday afternoon, as the sun dipped low over the rooftops of Berditchev, a wagon driver hurried into the synagogue. He was breathless. Dust...

11.03.2026 50

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

Sam Cohen

A Purpose That Binds

What brings people together is not sentiment. It is shared purpose. Parshat Vayakhel opens not with emotion, but with order. “Moses gathered all the...

07.03.2026 40

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

Sam Cohen

A Golden Calf with a Vintage Sunburst Finish

When I became Bar Mitzvah, the big day finally arrived. Not the aliyah.Not the speeches.Certainly not the fountain pen. Anyone who knows me knows...

03.03.2026 60

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

Sam Cohen

Miracles Don’t Leave Fingerprints

Parashat Ki Tisa is unsettling not because of the Golden Calf, but because of its timing. This was not a people emerging from spiritual darkness....

01.03.2026 70

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

Sam Cohen

Light and Fragrance of the Soul

In the geography of the sacred, there is a quiet but profound movement from the visible to the invisible. If the garments of the High Priest represent...

24.02.2026 70

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

Sam Cohen

The Wardrobe of Fig Leaves and Morality

From the fig leaves of Eden to the golden threads of Tetzaveh, the Torah reveals that fashion is the ultimate mirror of the soul. In the lexicon of...

22.02.2026 80

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

Sam Cohen

A Taste of Freedom

08.02.2026 40

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

Sam Cohen

The Heart Has the Last Word

01.02.2026 60

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

Sam Cohen

The Moonlight of Freedom

21.01.2026 100

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

Sam Cohen

The Hidden Queen of Israel

24.12.2025 30

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

Sam Cohen

The Coat of Dreams and Betrayal

11.12.2025 60

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

Sam Cohen

The Matriots of the Patriots

16.11.2025 90

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

Sam Cohen

Keeping Your Heart Young

13.10.2025 30

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

Sam Cohen

You Can’t Outrun Honour

19.09.2025 50

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

Sam Cohen

Losing It for a Blessing

12.09.2025 40

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

Sam Cohen

To Serve As One

29.08.2025 70

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

Sam Cohen

Breakdown to Breakthrough

31.07.2025 30

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

Sam Cohen

When Words Build Worlds

24.07.2025 70

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

Sam Cohen