Vayechi 5772-2012
"The Scepter Shall Not Depart from Judah" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Vayechi, Jacob calls his sons together in order to bless them before he dies. Not…
Re’eh 5772-2012
“The Gift of Self Esteem” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Re’eh, contains many fascinating themes. Among the most fascinating and challenging are the laws…
Kee Tisah 5773-2013
"The Vengeful G-d--Revisited" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Kee Tisah, we read of the grave sin of the Golden Calf, a trespass that, despite the…
Kee Teitzei 5773-2013
"The ‘Mitzvah’ of Divorce, Revisited" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Kee Teitzei, speaks of the "mitzvah" of divorce. Although we have previously discussed the…
Tzav 5780-2020
“Behold, I am Sending You Elijah the Prophet” (Revised and update from Tzav 5761-2001) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald On this coming Shabbat, the Shabbat of Erev Pesach, we…
Jews Paak their Caaahs As Well!
Aside from having one of the most difficult names to spell, the state of Massachusetts is known for its rich history, serving as a main catalyst for the Revolutionary War, the founding of…
The Jews Of Jamaica
As in many countries of the New World, the Jewish history of Jamaica begins with conversos, the secret Jews who fled Spain. They came to the New World seeking not only new opportunities,…
The Seventh Of Av
One Scriptural verse (Kings II 25:8-9) notes that the Babylonians came to the Temple Mount on the 7th of Av while another verse ( Jeremiah 25:12) claims it was on the 10th of the month.…
Herzl’s Vision of Haifa
International air travel today, especially in the “post 9-11 world” can be frustrating, annoying and anxiety-provoking. Because of the extra costs of traveling to and from airports,…
All-American Giver
Mervin Pregulman earned his initial fame as a college football star, but his real success was achieved later as a man of business and as a philanthropist. Born in Lansing, Michigan, on…