A Diplomat to Romania
In July 1944, it was announced that a new Liberty ship under construction was to be named for Benjamin Franklin Peixotto (November 13, 1834 - September 18, 1890). The descendant of…
Irish in Fairbanks
In 1910, while visiting her family in her native town of Dublin, Jessie Spiro was introduced to her second cousin, Robert Bloom. He was eight years her senior and had spent the last…
Einstein’s Jewish Life
Albert Einstein, whose yahrzeit is the 26th of Nissan (today), is one of the most admired men in history. His name and his face are almost universally recognized, and his scientific…
Catch-22
In honor of National Novel Writing Month: Joseph Heller is best known for his novel Catch-22, a satiric work whose title has become an idiom referring to a situation in which one cannot…
E is for Effort
In school students receive As, Bs, Cs, Ds and Fs. Students, however, often comment that they at least deserve an E for effort. This comment reflects an important life lesson that is…
Keeping Ethical
Pirkei Avot is commonly translated as Ethics of Our Fathers because many of its statements focus on ethical behavior. For those striving to be ethical, “Nittai the Arbelite says: Keep far…
David Ben Gurion, An Introduction
David Ben-Gurion is best known as the first Prime Minister of Israel. But, his role in the creation of the State was far greater than can be reflected in any single title. Born in 1886,…
Appreciate The Teacher
“No more pencils, no more books, no more teachers’ dirty looks...” It’s an old childhood rhyme that reflects every child’s longing for the freedom of summer. It is also an excellent…
Before They Knew Viral
Martha Wollstein, whose parents were Jewish immigrants from Germany, began her medical education when she was 16 years old. The Women’s Medical Society of the State of New York was also…
Einstein’s Jewish Life
Albert Einstein, whose yahrzeit is the 26th of Nissan (today), is one of the most admired men in history. His name and his face are almost universally recognized, and his scientific…