Anomalies and Interpretations
The writing of a Torah scroll is an incredibly intricate process. To write a Torah, the scribe must not only be meticulous and devout, but must know all of the many laws associated with…
Math and Science
Born in Bialystock on March 31, 1810, Hayyim Selig Slonimski completed writing his first textbook on mathematics when he was only 24 years old. Alas, finances were so tight that the young…
OMG! Passover Is Coming
The intensive physical and emotional preparations for Passover come from one seemingly simple commandment: "Seven days you will eat only matzah, but on the first day you shall have put…
The Four Mitzvot of Purim
This year, Purim will be celebrated on Thursday, March 5th (beginning Wednesday evening, March 4th, after sunset). Four mitzvot are associated with the holiday:Megillah Reading - Book of…
Kindness Without Fanfare
There is a fascinating story in the Talmud that demonstrates the importance of being conscientious in the way one does something for another person: Mar Ukba had a poor man in his…
Rights in Connecticut
At the time that Connecticut ratified the Constitution on January 9, 1788, the fifth state of the United States was not particularly welcoming to Jews or anyone else who was not…
Insights into the Burning Bush
The mid-December release of the motion picture Exodus: Gods and Kings is the most recent in a long line of dramatic recreations of Biblical narratives. Such dramas have been attempted…
The Spiritual Inheritance
In the Book of Genesis, the question of birthright is the center of several narratives - most famously that of the twin sons of Isaac and Rebecca. Esau, the elder of the two, willingly…
Employees and Employers
The American labor movement, which developed in the late 19th century, strived to ensure that workers were paid fairly, were provided with a safe working environment and were protected…
Unlucky 13?
Our culture has planted in our minds that 13 is a particularly unlucky number (Triskaidekaphobia = fear of 13). “Friday the 13th” (Paraskevisekatriaphobia = fear of Friday the 13th) is a…