Jews and the Crimea
In 2014, the Russian army seized control of the Crimea. This occurred after Russia claimed a referendum of Crimean citizens, many of whom are Russian nationals, overwhelmingly favored…
Waves of Aliyah
Although the State of Israel was officially established in 1948, the beginning of the mass return of Jews to the Promised Land began in the 1880s. Each distinct wave of immigration is now…
Nitzavim 5782-2022
Nitzavim 5782-2022 “The Hidden Things Belong to G-d” (updated and revised from Nitzavim 5765-2005) by, Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald On the final day of his life, Moses gathers all the people…
Nitzavim 5765-2005
"The Hidden Things Belong to G-d" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald On the final day of his life, Moses gathers all the people of Israel, from the most exalted to the lowliest, old and young,…
Minsk, Pinsk and Dvinsk?
Dvinsk, also known as Daugavpils or Duenaburg, is Latvia’s second largest city, situated 140 miles southeast of Riga, Latvia’s capital (Dvinsk is the city’s Russian name). Dvinsk became a…
“In Every Generation” 1903
This Passover, Jews around the world will recite: “In every generation, our enemies rise up to destroy us.” Passover, Purim, Chanukah, the Inquisition, the Holocaust...we are well aware…
Minsk, Pinsk and Dvinsk?
Dvinsk, also known as Daugavpils or Duenaburg, is Latvia’s second largest city, situated 140 miles southeast of Riga, Latvia’s capital (Dvinsk is the city’s Russian name). Dvinsk became…
No Refuge in Alaska
Purchased from the Russian Empire in 1867, the territory of Alaska was the United States’ “Last Frontier.” Following its 1899 gold rush, which helped lay the foundation of Alaskan…
Choral in the Capitals
The history of Jewish settlement in Russia is as long and complex as the narrative of the ever-shifting areas of Russian power. In the 18th century, Empress Catherine the Great banished…
Courland Jews, an Interesting History
There is no country by the name of Courland, but there is a historical subset of Latvian Jews known as Courland Jews. Their distinction comes from the connection in the 19th century of…