International Holocaust Memorial Day
Speak of the Holocaust and the first word that many think of is Auschwitz. It was, and is, the most infamous of the concentration camps established by the Nazis. In fact, Auschwitz was…
Before Michigan
The foundations of Michigan’s Jewish community were laid by the German Jews who came to America in the 1840s and spread out across the continent. Jewish history in Michigan, which became…
Rabbi Israel Salanter and the Mussar Movement
The Mussar movement, the formal study and program of ethical improvement, was developed in the mid-nineteenth century by Rabbi Israel Salanter (1810-1883). Rabbi Israel’s family name was…
Mishpatim 5782-2022
“Justice! Justice!” (updated and revised from Mishpatim 5763-2003) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Mishpatim, contains an abundance of laws that cover a vast…
Word Magic
Did you know that the origin of the magical word “Abracadabra” is Hebrew? Well, it is! Therefore, you may enjoy today’s Jewish Treat highlighting the etymological connection of some…
Happy National Hugging Day
On January 21, 1986, Kevin Zaborney of Clio, Michigan, created “National Hugging Day”. Zaborney felt that “American society is embarrassed to show feelings in public” and felt that his…
They Make Us Laugh
When the hit comedy Funny People was released in movie theaters (2009), it was frequently noted in the Jewish press that almost all of the comic actors in the film, including the…
Justice and Ambassador
On August 8, 1908, Rebecca and Joseph Goldberg were blessed with their eighth child, whom they named Arthur. As the youngest in the family, Arthur was the only Goldberg who was not forced…
Know Your History
A remarkable fact of contemporary American Jewish history was that Arthur Goldberg was the 4th of eight Jews to serve as a United States Supreme Court Justice. Make it a point to learn…
On the Wings of Eagles
In Exodus 19, God instructs Moses to address the Children of Israel and to say to them: “You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to…