Kee Tavo 5774-2014
“Finding Respite” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Parashat Kee Tavo is one of two parashiot in the Torah (the other is Bechukotai) that contains the Tochachah, G-d’s reproof of the Jewish…
Vayeira 5779-2018
“The Tension Between Human Love and Divine Will” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Vayeira, we find two important stories that reflect on the…
Eat and Save
"Eat your peas! There are children starving in Africa!" "No dessert until you eat all the food on your plate!" "Waste not, want not." Today, June 5, 2020, is the United Nations…
Manna from Military Aircraft?
Is there a connection between “Manna,” the food from heaven that sustained the Children of Israel in the Sinai wilderness, and a World War II humanitarian military operation? On the…
Unicorns
Young girls often wish for fairies, and brash youth dream of dragons. There is a delightful allure to the legends of fantastical creatures. But, according to the Midrash, not all such…
Say Shabbat Shalom
NJOP stands in solidarity with the Squirrel Hill community in Pittsburgh and expresses its profound condolences to the members and families of the Tree of Life Congregation who lost their…
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…
Say Shabbat Shalom
Life provides us with a plethora of opportunities to pronounce blessings. There are blessings on foods, blessings on doing a mitzvah, and even a blessing after using the restroom. Not all…
Rahel the Poetess
The poetry of Rahel has been described as both lyrical and sad, reflecting the challenges of her relatively brief life and her passion for the Land of Israel. Rahel Bluwstein Sela…
The Fall of the Wall
Today, November 9, is marked on some calendars as World Freedom Day in tribute to the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. The collapse of the iron curtain changed the world and…