Kafkaesque

Franz Kafka was born into a Jewish family on July 3, 1883 near the Old Town Square in Prague, in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Franz was the eldest of six children (two tragically died in…

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The Fate of Babel

Born on July 13, 1894 in Odessa, Isaac Babel’s life spanned a tumultuous time in Russian history. Raised in a middle-class Jewish home, Babel had both a full Jewish education and a robust…

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Shabbat Chazon

This Shabbat is known as Shabbat Chazon, the Sabbath of the Vision (prophecy), named after the opening word of the Book of Isaiah, the first 27 verses of which are read as the haftarah on…

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Don’t Shame The Name

The concept of “Chilul Hashem,” desecration of God’s name is first mentioned in the Torah in Leviticus (22:32), when the Jewish people are commanded: “You shall not shame My Holy Name;…

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Mitzvah With A Shovel

The Jewish customs surrounding death, burial and mourning are intended to provide both respect for the departed and comfort for the mourners. One such custom that may seem startling or…

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Choosing a Hebrew Name

When naming a child, parents are often faced with a great deal of outside pressure. Family, friends, co-workers--everybody has an opinion. Stressed-out parents should feel some relief…

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Twebrew School

Twebrew School New to Twebrew School? View our introductory video here. Enroll to receive our corresponding textbook the…

9/11 and Jewish History

The attack on the continental U.S. homeland on September 11, 2001 changed the entire complexion of the United States. Almost 200 years had passed since the last attack on the U.S.…

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Everyone Does the Wave

One of the main mitzvot of the holiday of Sukkot is the waving of the Four Species: citron (etrog), palm branch (lulav), myrtle (hadassim) and willow (aravot). Trying to understand this…

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