The Western Light

Tens of thousands of tourists stream annually to countries such as Canada, Iceland, Norway and even the U.S. state of Alaska, to behold the exquisite Northern Lights, aurora borealis,…

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As the Wind Blows

The Torah is full of fascinating, unexpected and, some might say, poetic connections. Many of these associations are not obvious because they are spread throughout the many texts of…

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In West Virginia

West Virginia, which became a state on this day in 1863 after breaking away from the more southernly aligned State of Virginia, is not generally thought of as a state with a wealth of…

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Wind Power

When the European Wind Energy Association launched the first Wind Day in 2007 (which became Global Wind Day in 2009 in coordination with the Global Wind Energy Council), it was probably…

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Shavuot 5784-2024

Shavuot 5784-2024 “Abba’s Final Shavuot” (updated and revised from Shavuot 5765-2005) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald   Our father, of blessed memory, Moshe Aharon Buchwald, whom my sisters…

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Matot-Masei 5782-2022

“The Massacre of the Midianites: Does Judaism Countenance Genocide?” (Updated and revised from Matot-Masei 5763-2003) by, Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald At the conclusion of parashat Balak,…

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Balak 5782-2022

“How Goodly Are Your Tents O’ Jacob” (updated and revised from Balak 5764-2004) by, Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Balak, we read the dramatic story of the…

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Bereshith 5782-2021

“Being Moral in an Increasingly Immoral Environment” (updated and revised from Bereshith 5763-2002) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Bereshith, is one of the…

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Vayishlach 5781-2020

“The Proper and Improper use of Zealotry” (updated and revised from Vayishlach 2000-5761) by, Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Vayishlach, we encounter in…

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The Cochin Jews of India

The Malabar Jews of Cochin*, India, claim to have existed as a community since the times of King Solomon’s trade missions for ivory and silver. It is most likely, however, that their…

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