Mourning Jerusalem I: A Brief History of the First Temple
Today, Jews all over the world are observing the fast of Tisha b’Av. It is on this day that the Jewish people mourn the destruction of both the First and Second Temples. The…
There’s a Key in my Challah
It's a fact that many people spend much time thinking and even worrying about par'nassah (livelihood).Jewish tradition teaches that different seasons have different spiritual…
What Not To Buy
The joyous holiday of Passover is now over. While one’s instinct might be to immediately run out to the supermarket and restock the pantry shelves with bread, snacks and all the desserts…
Irish Jews
The exile of the Jewish people has taken them to every corner of the earth. Jews have lived in and built communities in Europe, China, India, Central Asia, Africa, South America, North…
Tu b’Shevat is Coming
While it has been a difficult winter for many of us, it may be time to look beyond the turbulent weather and see that spring is just around the corner. You might wonder how one can…
The Challenge of Fitting In
The weekly Torah reading of Mikeitz (Genesis 41:1-44:17), which almost always coincides with Chanukah, tells the story of the rise of Joseph the son of Jacob from slave to viceroy. And…
The Second President
Yitzchak Ben-Zvi, the second President of the State of Israel, was born on November 24, 1884 in Poltava, Ukraine. After participating in the Jewish self-defense units organized…
Success After Exile
When King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella expelled the Jews from Spain in 1492, Rabbi David ben Solomon ibn (Abi) Zimra (known as the RaDBaZ, his initials) was 13 years old. His family…
An Island Community
As the chill of winter settles in, Jewish Treats brings you warm thoughts of the Caribbean - of Barbados to be exact. The first known Jews to arrive on Barbados were refugees from the…
More Than a Financier
Known as the Juden Kaiser (the Jewish Emperor), Rabbi Samson Wertheimer was a man of incredible accomplishment. Born in Worms in 1658, he was educated in the yeshivot of Worms and…