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Getting to this episode has been a journey. I took a break in May 2021, after producing 59 episodes, with plans to return in September 2021, at the start of the Jewish New Year. Then my wife and I bought a house, and life got busy with housework. Then my mother's illness took a turn for the worse and life got busy with life.

My mother died on September 14, 2021. We buried her a few hours before Kol Nidrei, which means this is the first episode of Modern Torah that she'll never hear. In her memory, and in keeping with the theme of this week's parsha—Lech L'cha—I hope you'll indulge me in sharing a bit of my family history.  Four generations after my grandfather's grandfather put his trust in G-d and placed his son Reuben on a boat bound for Ellis Island the Friedmans are still here, still thriving, and still growing.

This episode is dedicated to the memory of my grandparents Irving David Friedman and Elaine Marion Ellias Friedman, to their parents Max Sam Ellias & Florence Spilg Ellias and Reuben Friedman and Yetta Gordon Friedman, and to my mother, Margaret Joy Friedman Vaughan. May their memories be blessing.

Shabbat shalom

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I'm not a rabbi, so every week I look at our Torah portion and try to put it in conversation with the modern world around me. Judaism is rich in tradition, and each of us deserves the chance to find our own meaning in the text. Just remember, like the text itself says, “there’s nothing new under the sun.”

Modern Torah is written and produced by me, Nathan J. Vaughan. You can learn more about me and any of my podcasts at www.nathanjvaughan.com.

I’m not a rabbi, so every week, I look at our Torah portion and try to put it in conversation with the world around me. Judaism is rich in tradition, and each of us deserves the chance to find our own meaning in the text. Whether you’re studying Torah daily, or taking a moment to prepare for Shabbat, I hope you’ll make these ten minutes of Torah part of your week.

You can learn more about me, and my work, on my website – www.nathanjvaughan.com

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