The Council of the Four Lands
While Jews suffered greatly as societal outsiders in many of the lands in which they lived throughout history, sometimes there were beneficial perks--such as a moderate level of communal…
Scapegoat
The Jewish people have often been cast as the proverbial “scapegoat.” When millions died during the Black Plague, the Jews were accused of poisoning the wells. Blood libels accusing…
The Blessings of the Amidah: Livelihood
The nineteen blessings of the Amidah make up the core of the Jewish prayer service. The ninth blessing is a request for sustenance and economic success. Ba’raych a’lay’nu Ah’doh’nai…
Kedoshim 5760 – 2000
"The Revolutionary Idea of Holiness" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this coming week's parasha, Parashat K'doshim, we encounter that magical and revolutionary word which the Torah has…
White Papers
For those who have studied the history of the return of the Jewish people to the land of Israel, the term “White Paper” is at once familiar and ambiguous. It is commonly understood that…
Kee Tisah 5781-2021
“Reverence for Learning in Jewish Tradition” (updated and revised from Kee Tisah 5763-2003) In this week’s parasha, parashat Kee Tisah, we read of the fateful sin of the Jewish people…
A Brief History of the Jews of Georgia
Located between Russia and Turkey, at the intersection of Europe and Asia, Georgia was, until the mid-1800s, a place of relatively little anti-Semitism. According to tradition, Jews first…
Protecting Widows
Today, June 23rd is the official date recognized by the United Nations as International Widows Day. The day was first observed in 2005, and, in 2010, it was ratified by the U.N. to…
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 Author of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Jewish Treats presents a brief biography of René Samuel Cassin (October 5, 1887 – February 20, 1976), the author of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Nobel Peace Prize winner…