The Haftarah portion for Sukkot Day 1 (Zechariah 14:1-21) narrated in English by Ronald Guttman. Questions for Discussion: Zechariah’s beautiful vision of the day when “Adonai shall be one and God’s name one” seems to be in tension with the Shema

The Haftarah portion for Sukkot Day 2 (1 Kings 8:2-21) narrated in English by Ronald Guttman. Questions for Discussion: On the second day of Sukkot, we read of the completion of Solomon’s Temple, and the presence of God coming to rest. As we ourselves

The Haftarah portion for Yom Kippur morning (Isaiah 57:14 - 58:14) narrated in English by Ronald Guttman. Questions for Discussion: Yom Kippur is filled with ritual observance, from the fast and other restrictions to a full day of praying. The haftarah

The Haftarah portion for Rosh Hashanah Day Two (Jeremiah 31:2-20) narrated in English by Ronald Guttman. Questions for Discussion: The haftarah chanted on the second day of Rosh Hashanah offers God’s beautiful promise of joy, love, forgiveness, and r

The Haftarah portion for Rosh Hashanah Day One (1 Samuel 1:1-2:10) narrated in English by Ronald Guttman. Questions for Discussion: In the haftarah chosen for the first day of the Jewish New Year, a vulnerable woman, Hannah, is judged harshly and incor

The Haftarah portion for Va'et-hannan (Isaiah 40:1-26) narrated in English by Ronald Guttman. Questions for Discussion: This Shabbat takes its name from this special haftarah, which begins Nahamu, nahamu—Comfort, oh comfort, My people. It marks the b

The Haftarah portion for Devarim (Isaiah 1:1-27) narrated in English by Ronald Guttman. Questions for Discussion: Second only to Tisha Be’av itself, this haftarah represents the near low point in the relationship between God and the people Israel, who

The Haftarah portion for Mattot-Masei (Jer. 2:4-28, 3:4) narrated in English by Ronald Guttman. Questions for Discussion: This second haftarah of rebuke identifies two aspects of national wrongdoing: 1) abandoning God, “the Fount of living water”, a

The Haftarah portion for Pinehas (Jer. 1:1-2:3) narrated in English by Ronald Guttman. Questions for Discussion: In this haftarah, the opening of the prophecy of Jeremiah, God responds to Jeremiah’s unarticulated sense of inadequacy for the task, esse

The Haftarah portion for Balak (Micah 5:6-6:8) narrated in English by Ronald Guttman. Questions for Discussion: This week’s haftarah concludes with the famous formulation of what it is that God demands of us: “Only to do justice, to love goodness, a