This week we review Parshat Mishpatim, those chapters from Exodus filled with laws governing human relationships and civil society. Every year for centuries going back to Ezra the Scribe (2400 years ago) we've been doing this. It always impresses me how relevant so many teachings in our Torah are. It also impresses me how many laws challenge us, need further discussion and development. It occurred to me that we are the ongoing Research and Development Committee of the Torah.

Happy Tu Bishvat! While most of us have the opportunity and the freedom to feel gratitude for the trees and all that they provide us on this "New Year of the Trees," one member of our community, Alan Gross, cannot celebrate and enjoy nature. He is still sitting in a Cuban prison, arrested for illegal activity in Cuba sponsored by our government through USAID.

This is my last day in Israel. Much has happened since last week.

I arrived in Israel yesterday and write to you from Jerusalem! I took the Nesher Shuttle from Ben Gurion airport along with some Haredi ultra Orthodox folks, tried to engage in a meaningful conversation about citizenship in Israel, the Palestinians and thoughts about Obama. It didn' go well.

The Parsha this coming Shabbat opens with the words "God spoke to Moshe and said to him, 'I am YHVH.' I revealed myself to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as El Shaddai (the Nurturing God) and did not allow them to know Me by my name YHVH."