Searching for Chametz
On Passover, Jews are commanded to get rid of all “chametz” (leaven) which may be in their possession. It is not unusual to begin cleaning and scrubbing the home weeks before the holiday.…
Chol Hamoed
Most holidays in Western society last for a single day, which is often extended into the weekend. And, while most people are aware that Chanukah is celebrated for eight days, many people…
Live Knowing That People See You As a Jew
Live your life knowing that during every moment, others will see your actions as representing Jews and Judaism. In today’s day and age, Jews are more in the limelight than ever before,…
Telephone, Gramaphone, Helicopter…Emile Berliner
Emile Berliner (May 20, 1851–August 3, 1929) came to America to avoid being drafted as a soldier in the Franco-Prussian War. A native of Hanover, Germany, Berliner had trained as a…
Remember to Say “Thank You”
Tonight, after enjoying a delicious Shabbat meal, say “Thank You” by reciting Birkat Hamazon, Grace After Meals. Saying thank you and acknowledging our great appreciation to God for the…
Jewish Matchmaking
“Matchmaker, matchmaker / Look through your book / And make me a perfect match…” (Fiddler on the Roof). With the widespread proliferation of internet dating sites such as eHarmony,…
The Disputation of Paris
The month of June, in the year 1240 C.E. was not a good time for the Jews of Europe. The trouble began with a Jewish apostate named Nicholas Donin. Wanting, perhaps, to prove his loyalty…
What A Player
Today marks 178 years since the first official game of baseball was played on June 19, 1846. In honor of this anniversary, today’s Jewish Treat presents a brief biography of a unique…
Study an Ethical Blueprint
Study Pirkei Avot, Ethics of the Fathers, and recognize how much there is to glean from this incredible ethical blueprint. In the second chapter of Pirkei Avot, there is an especially…