Mourning Jerusalem I: A Brief History of the First Temple
This coming Saturday night and Sunday, Jews the world over will be observing the fast of Tisha b’Av. It is on this day that the Jewish people mourn the destruction of both the First and…
How To Be Holy
God instructs Moses to tell the Jewish people: “You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God, am holy” (Leviticus 19:2). How does one make oneself holy? The remaining 35 verses of…
The Jewish Reveille
The Hebrew month of Elul which began this past Sunday night and Monday, brings with it a few changes to the prayer service, one of which is the blowing of the shofar every morning (except…
Pekudei 5782-2022
“The Lesson of the Basin: ‘Don’t Judge a Basin by its Cooper’” (updated and revised from Pekudei 5763-2003) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Pekudei, opens with…
Shemini 5782-2022
“With the L-rd as Our Partner” (Updated and revised from Shemini 5764-2004) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s Torah portion, parashat Shemini, opens with a description of the…
Naso 5782-2022
“The Hypocrite as Exemplar” (updated and revised from Naso 5763-2003) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Naso, we find that the topics of the Biblical text are…
Mourning Jerusalem I: A Brief History of the First Temple
This coming Saturday night and Sunday, Jews the world over will be observing the fast of Tisha b’Av. It is on this day of the Hebrew calendar that the Jewish people mourn the destruction…
The Thanksgiving Synagogue Service
While Thanksgiving is most certainly an American festival of gratitude, its founders prominently articulated its religious underpinnings, which ultimately find their source in Judaism.…
Celebrating with a Parade
Name a Jewish celebration that is not a wedding, but still includes a chuppah, music and dancing. The answer is a Hachnassat Sefer Torah, literally “Welcoming the Torah Scroll,” the…
Mourning Jerusalem I: A Brief History of the First Temple
Next Wednesday night and Thursday (July 26th and 27th), Jews the world over will be observing the fast of Tisha b’Av. It is on this day of the Hebrew calendar that the Jewish people mourn…