Jewish Treats

Celebrating A Daughter

On his 8th day of life, a baby boy has his brit mila (circumcision) and is given a Jewish name. But how do Jews celebrate the birth of a girl? While there are no mandatory rituals in…

Read More

Jewish Treats

Yente the Yiddish Writer

Yiddish literature entered its modern era in the 1860s, when Jewish writers began using the Germanic-Jewish language to compose stories and poems. Many of the early writers of this era…

Read More

Jewish Treats

Lighting The Way To Peace

The very last act performed before bringing Shabbat into the home is the lighting of the Shabbat candles. While this mitzvah is considered one of the three primary mitzvot of a Jewish…

Read More

Jewish Treats

President William Howard Taft – Friend of the Jews

Jewish Treats presents a quick look at the relationship of President William Howard Taft (1857 – 1930) and the Jewish people. Taft’s presidency (1909 – 1913) overlapped the era of massive…

Read More

Jewish Treats

Shabbat’s Angel Companions

In the Talmud (Shabbat 119b), Rabbi Josi the son of Judah is quoted as saying: On the eve of Shabbat, two ministering angels accompany a person home from the synagogue. One angel…

Read More

Weekly Message,Naso

Naso 5781-2021

“The Challenge of the Priestly Blessings” (updated and revised from Naso 5762-2002) by, Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Naso, we encounter the very beautiful…

Read More

Jewish Treats

Lighting The Way To Peace

The very last act performed before bringing Shabbat into the home is the lighting of the Shabbat candles. While this mitzvah is considered one of the three primary mitzvot of a Jewish…

Read More

Jewish Treats

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,…

Read More

Re'eh,Weekly Message

Re’eh 5781-2021

“The Elusive Blessing of ‘Peace’” (updated and revised from Re’eh 5763-2003) by, Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s Torah portion, parashat Re’eh, contains some of the most exalted…

Read More

Jewish Treats

The Jews of Puerto Rico

On October 18, 1898, the “Stars and Stripes” flag of the United States was raised over Puerto Rico, announcing that the island was now under American sovereignty. Today’s Treat presents…

Read More