Sukkot,Sukkot ResourcesSukkot

The Four Species

The Four Species “And you shall take for yourselves on the first day the fruit of a hadar (beautiful) tree, the branch…

Nitzavim,Rosh Hashana,Weekly Message

Nitzavim-Rosh Hashana 5779-2018

“Whatever Became of Sin?” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald According to Rabbi Hayyim Angel, this week’s parasha, parashat Nitzavim, contains “one of the greatest expositions on repentance in…

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Weekly Message,Shemot

Shemot 5780-2020

Shemot 5780-2020 “Developing Commitment to Judaism: A Lesson from an Egyptian Prince” (updated and revised from Shemot 5760-1999)   by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week's…

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Holidays

Holidays Rosh Hashana - Rosh Hashana, the…

Jewish Treats

Dancing for Joy

Attend the Simchat Torah celebrations at your local synagogue or Jewish center, wave a flag and join the circle of dancers celebrating the Torah.

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Shemot,Weekly Message

Shemot 5760-1999

"Commitment to Judaism: A lesson from Moshe" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this coming week's parasha, parashat Shemot, we encounter one of the most challenging situations of…

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Shoftim,Weekly Message

Shoftim 5773-2013

“Egypt: Off Limits to Jews” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Shoftim, we learn of the Torah’s prohibition for Jews to return to the land of Egypt. In…

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Weekly Message,Va'eira

Va’eira 5772-2012

“The Decline and Collapse of the Egyptian Magicians” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Va’eira, we learn of the first seven plagues that strike the Egyptians.…

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Jewish Treats

Jews in the Land of Lincoln

The first known Jewish resident of what is now the state of Illinois was John Hays, a grandson of a New York Jew, who moved west to Cahokia in 1793. Hays was a farmer and trader, who, in…

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Jewish Treats

Beating the Willows

During Sukkot, there is a mitzvah to wave the four species (lulav, hadassim, aravot and etrog - palm, myrtle, willow and citron) every day except on Shabbat. In addition to this mitzvah,…

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