What’s in a (Last) Name?
When using proper names in the Jewish ritual, such as receiving an Aliyah to the Torah, marriage, divorce, on conversion documents, on tombstones or in memorial prayers, Jews are…
Green Jews
Aside from Senator Bernie Sanders, Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield – aka “Ben and Jerry’s” – people normally do not associate the Green Mountain State with Jews. Although some scholars…
The Rise of Phoenix
The settlement of the Arizona territory, followed the California Gold Rush of 1848-1850. When gold was found in Arizona, many people moved there from 1862 to 1864, including many Jewish…
Shabbat, The Heart of Unity
Shabbat is one of the Ten Commandments, and is one of the most frequently referred-to mitzvot (commandments) in the Torah. Shabbat is regarded as the “heart” of Jewish life. It sets a…
Houston Healthcare
Many cities have Jewish hospitals, but only Houston has a Jewish Institute of Medical Research. In the 1950s, Houston’s Jewish community sought to create a medical facility that had a…
The Educator
Community day schools have played a vital role in maintaining Jewish life in America, particularly in communities outside of the major Jewish population areas. The graduate of such…
Free To All
On June 30, 2008, the first Jewish Treat was posted to Jewishtreats.org. There were less than 50 people on the subscription list. Today, we are proud to say, over 2,500 people receive…
Jokes On Us
“Knock. Knock”“Who’s There?”“Jewish”“Jewish Who?”“Jewish Treats”....Ok, not so funny, but, when you get to the bottom of it, April Fools Day (or All Fools Day) is hardly a Jewish holiday.…
The Ba’al Ha’turim
Spain in the Middle Ages was home to scholars of great renown such as Abraham ibn Ezra (1089 - c. 1164), Judah ha-Levi (1086-1145), Rabbi Moses ben Maimon (Maimonides/Rambam 1135-1204)…
How Pirates Spread Torah
From the 6th to the 11th century, the center of Jewish life was in Babylon under Persian rule. The Jewish community was headed politically by the Exilarch and religiously by a sage known…