Dr. Kokkonen Blogs

Stories that Shine – Ki Tisa: Patience, Faith, and the Danger of the Golden Calf

When faith is tested, impatience can lead to dangerous choices. In this week’s Torah portion ...
March 6, 2026
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Stories that Shine – Legacy, Blessing, and the Lion of Judah — From Genesis to Holocaust Memory

January 2, 2026 – Dr. Susanna Kokkonen Vayechi 5786 (2025) Genesis 47:28-50:26; 1. Kings 2:1-12. ...

January 2, 2026
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2025: The Year Antisemitism Entered the Mainstream

December 16, 2025 – Dr. Susanna Kokkonen Looking back at 2025, we can clearly identify ...

December 15, 2025
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Hanukkah in the Darkest Places: Light, Memory, and Defiance Through History

December 14, 2025 – Dr. Susanna Kokkonen Two elements are mostly connected to Hanukkah: Light ...

December 13, 2025
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Stories that Shine – Joseph’s Trials, Prophetic Insight, and the Modern Lessons of Israel’s Rebirth

December 12, 2025 – Dr. Susanna Kokkonen Vayeshev 5786 (2025) Genesis 37:1-40:23; Amos 2:6-3:8. Vayeshev, ...

December 12, 2025
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Pearl Harbor, Chelmno, and Lidice: How December 1941 Marked a Turning Point in the Holocaust

December 10, 2025 – Dr. Susanna Kokkonen December 2025 Blog Pearl Harbor The month of ...

December 10, 2025
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Stories that Shine – Jacob, Esau, and the Call to Be Upstanders

December 5, 2025 – Dr. Susanna Kokkonen Vayishlach 5786 (2025) Genesis 32:4-36:43; Obadiah 1-1:21. Vayishlach, ...

December 5, 2025
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Stories that Shine – Jacob’s Ladder, Sacred Places, and the Enduring Covenant

November 28, 2025 – Dr. Susanna Kokkonen Vayetzei 5786 (2025) Genesis 28:10-32:3; Hosea 11:7-12:14. Vayetzei, ...

November 28, 2025
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Coming Home to the Garden of Hope

November 28, 2025 – Dr. Susanna Kokkonen This month I visited the Holocaust Garden of ...

November 28, 2025
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Stories that Shine – Ancient Warnings. Modern Consequences. A Call to Stand Firm.

November 26, 2025 – Dr. Susanna Kokkonen Toldot 5786 (2025) Genesis 25:19-25:28:9; Malachi 1:1-2:7. Toldot, ...

November 26, 2025
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Stories that Shine – Ancient Roots that Shape Today’s Jewish Story

November 13, 2025 – Dr. Susanna Kokkonen Chayei Sarah 5786 (2025) Genesis 23:1-25:18; 1. Kings ...

November 13, 2025
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Stories that Shine – Faith, Hospitality, and Hope

October 31, 2025 – Dr. Susanna Kokkonen Vayeira 5786 (2025) Genesis 18:1-22:24; 2. Kings 4:1-37 ...

November 5, 2025
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