Mishpatim 5765-2005
"The Conundrum of Charity--Who Benefits More?" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This coming week's parasha, parashat Mishpatim, contains an abundance of interesting mitzvot. Among the 53…
Honoring 9/11
Today is the 19th anniversary of the devastating attack on the World Trade Center in New York City and several other targets in 2001. There are stories to be told of many heroes, people…
Israeli-German Relations
On May 13, 1965, Israel officially established diplomatic relations with the Federal Republic of (West) Germany (FRG). This event is quite notable, since Israel was established in the…
Latrun: Battles for the Hilltop
Today, the hilltop of Latrun, just 15 kilometers west of Jerusalem, is a popular commemorative site that features an armored corps museum. This landmark, which was once the location of a…
Grandmaster R
When Samuel Reshevsky (born Szmul Rzeszewski, 1911-1992) was five years old, his father showed him how to play chess. Three years later, the boy was a recognized child prodigy who gained…
Pinchas 5781-2021
"Loving the Land of Israel” (updated and revised from Pinchas 5762-2002) by, Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Pinchas, we learn the fascinating tale of five…
The Yom Kippur War
It would be impossible in this format to provide a full history of the events that led to the outbreak of the Yom Kippur War in the fall of 1973. However, in honor of the second ceasefire…
America’s First Synagogue
In 1656, Shearith Israel, became the first synagogue that was established in the territory that came to be known as the United States. The synagogue, also known as the Spanish and…
Israeli-German Relations
On May 13, 1965, Israel officially established diplomatic relations with the Federal Republic of (West) Germany (FRG). This event is quite notable, since Israel was established in the…
Not So Freedom Summer
On June 21, 1964, one of the most heinous and scandalous murders took place in U.S. history, shocking the country. Andrew Goodman, 21, a native of the Upper West Side of Manhattan,…