Finders Keepers
After a visit from a close friend, a woman finds a gold bracelet on her couch. Immediately, she calls her friend and returns the bracelet. That’s a “no brainer.” After a large luncheon at…
The Passover Story in Brief
On Passover, we commemorate the Exodus from Egyptian slavery. The following is a brief summary: Jacob’s family came to Egypt to escape a famine in Canaan. Joseph, Viceroy to Pharoah,…
Jewish Professions
Are there certain professions that are “Jewish”? For instance, is finance a “Jewish business”? This is a strange question in the twenty-first century, when Jews can be found in a wide…
M’la’cha
The Torah prohibits "work" on Shabbat, but what does that mean? After all, serving a meal to your family could be seen as work. The Torah hints at the definition of Shabbat work by using…
Mikeitz 5781-2020
“A Dysfunctional Family Becomes Functional” (updated and revised from Mikeitz 5762-2001) by, Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Mikeitz, the soap opera, (just…
Tetzaveh 5781-2021
“The Korban Tamid--a Lesson in Consistency” (updated and revised from Tetzaveh 5762-2002) by, Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Tetzaveh, after a lengthy…
Passover Story in Brief
On Passover, we commemorate the exodus from Egyptian slavery. The following is a brief summary: Jacob’s family came to Egypt to escape a famine in Canaan. Joseph, Jacob’s son and the…
Jews in the Fold
Yesterday, November 11th, was celebrated internationally as National Origami Day. Origami is a compound Japanese term: ori means folding and kami means paper. Origami was created in the…
The Passover Story in Brief
On Passover, we commemorate the exodus from Egyptian slavery. The following is a brief summary: Jacob’s family came to Egypt to escape a famine in Canaan. Joseph, Jacob’s son and the…
Insights into the Burning Bush
The release several years ago of the motion picture Exodus: Gods and Kings is one in a long line of dramatic recreations of Biblical narratives. Such dramas have been attempted long…