Becoming a Rabbi
Today's Jewish Treats presents a history of “the Rabbi.” The basic definition of a rabbi is someone who has received rabbinic ordination from a respected rabbi or authorized…
“The Seventh Descendant”
A popular theme among writers of fantasy is the special nature of the seventh son. In works of this genre, this child is often blessed with a natural gift of magic, or a destiny for…
Better Than A Bullock
In the times of the Temple, the most exalted form of worship was through sacrifices brought to Jerusalem. But, now the Jewish people have lived for centuries without the Holy Temple.…
On One Foot
Recently, Jewish Treats was asked to explain the Jewish faith in one tweet. For those unfamiliar with the Twitter format, that means in 140 characters or less. It seems, at first…
Judah The Prince
Pirkei Avot, Ethics of the Fathers, begins: “Moses received the Torah from Sinai and transmitted it to Joshua; Joshua to the elders; the elders to the prophets; and the prophets handed it…
The Thirteen Principles
The United States Supreme Court decides whether laws conform or do not conform to the U.S. Constitution. Similarly, the ancient sages decided and interpreted halacha, Jewish law, based on…
Teach The Girls
In the late 19th century, European Jewish communities began to notice that the younger generation of women were focused on the outside world and were no longer interested in maintaining…
The Blessings of the Amidah: Gratitude
The nineteen blessings of the Amidah make up the core of the Jewish prayer service. The eighteenth blessing is an outright statement of gratitude. It is the longest of the nineteen…
On Being A Grandparent
Bubbe and Zaide, Grandma and Grandpa, Saba and Savta--No matter what you call them, grandparents are special people in our lives. Certainly many a grandparent relishes the carefree…
So Where Are You From?
When reading about Judaism, one often comes across the terms “Ashkenazim” and “Sephardim.” While these names are ethnic subdivisions of the Jewish world, they are actually based on…