Tzav 5782-2022

“What We Learn from the Jewish ‘Caste System’” (Updated and revised from Tzav 5763-2003) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s Torah portion, parashat Tzav, continues the Torah’s…

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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…

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Nitzavim-Vayeilech 5783-2023

“The Promise of Total Return” (updated and revised from Nitzavim-Vayeilech 5762-2002) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald   This week’s double parashiot, Nitzavim and Vayeilech, are among…

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Passover 5761-2001

"The Final days of Pesach - Days of Unity" by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald That the Jews happened to find themselves in Egypt and were enslaved by the Egyptians was not at all coincidence.…

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Vayeitzei 5776-2015

“Disclosing Personal Information For Shidduch Purposes” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Vayeitzei, Jacob, who is fleeing from his brother Esau, follows his…

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Always (Kosher) Coca Cola!

I’d bet you never heard of the Pemberton Medicine Company! Perhaps you have heard of the company into which it was incorporated on January 15th, 1889? That would be the Coca Cola Company…

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“Prohibition” and the Jews

Today is “Repeal Day,” referring to the repeal of “Prohibition”, the infamous 18th Amendment to the United States Constitution. The 18th Amendment went into effect nation-wide on January…

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Progress for Women

On August 26, 1920, the 19th amendment to the United States Constitution went into effect, prohibiting all U.S. states and the Federal government from denying the right to vote to any…

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Green Jews

Aside from Senator Bernie Sanders, Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield – aka “Ben and Jerry’s” – people normally do not associate the Green Mountain State with Jews. Although some scholars…

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Can the Theory of Evolution and God Co-Exist?

On this “Darwin Day,” commemorating the birth of Charles Darwin on February 12, 1809, we address the issue of Darwin’s own belief in God, given his authorship of the famed Theory of…

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