The Griffon Vulture is a large and awesome bird of prey, one of the largest and the highest flying of all birds (Nature’s Song, Slifkin, p.222). It is believed by many to be the Nesher (נֶשֶׁר) of the Torah, a bird very often translated instead as Eagle. (As in the moving verse where G-d tells the […]
We just returned from an amazing 3 weeks in Israel, where we attended the Eilat Migratory Birds Festival . On the first morning, we were lucky enough to see huge flocks of migrating Storks soaring overhead.They seemed to sail along effortlessly, heading northward, taking advantage of the high, warm thermals between the mountains of Judean Desert […]
The smallest member of the falcon family, this handsome little American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) can be found throughout North America and much of South America (Arkive.org).Only about 9-12″ in length, the elegant but fierce little bird of prey feeds mostly on insects, small rodents and amphibians, and small birds. Yet, due to its petite size, the American Kestrel itself sometimes […]
During my walks I am awestruck by the tiny wonders of Nature all around me – the insects, the flowers.. . . These little gems remind me of the poetic words of King David, as he described Creation and the natural world: “[G-d] wrapped Himself in light like a garment and spread out the heavens […]
The mornings and evenings are a bit cooler and less humid these days, and some migrating birds have arrived in our area. But the wetland birds’ courting and breeding season that brings so many visitors has really not yet begun. Lots of marsh plants are still in bloom, including these delicate Fireflags dangling over the ponds, and […]
The Book of Kohelet (Ecclesiastes) by King Solomon was read in synagogues around the world this week during the holiday of Sukkot. Kohelet is well known for its verses in Chapter 3 which include. . . “there is a time for every purpose under heaven” (3:1). As I look around at the inexplicable wonders of nature on […]
Yom Kippur, the holiest day on the Jewish calendar, takes place this Tuesday evening through Wednesday. On this day, also known as the Day of Atonement, one refrains from eating and drinking, and spends most of the day in the synagogue engaged in prayer. Much of the liturgy focuses on repentance, confession, and seeking forgiveness. Yet Rabbi Yitzchak Breitowitz reminds […]
We are nearing the end of the Hebrew month of Elul. Elul has been a time of introspection, a time to look back and reflect on our past year, and think about what our journey through the next year will be like. During Elul, as Rabbi Simon Jacobson so beautifully describes it, we prepare to enter “a […]
This past week, our Shabbat Torah reading, which was the second portion of the Book of Devarim (Deuteronomy), opened with one of the most poignant and moving statements ever made by the great leader Moshe Rabbenu (Moses). G-d has previously told Moshe that, despite Moshe’s great love for Eretz Israel, he will never enter the […]
As I wrote in a recent post, the current time period on the Jewish calendar, known as The Three Weeks, concludes with the observance of Tisha B’Av (the 9th of the Hebrew month of Av). On Tisha B’Av we mourn the most significant tragic events in Jewish history, including the destruction of the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem in 586 […]
Birder's Journey 