Jewish Treats

Symbolic Foods

Since Rosh Hashana is the Day of Judgment, it is customary to eat simanim*, foods with symbolic meanings that invoke God’s blessing. We also recite a short prayer before eating them.…

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Jewish Treats

Annulment of Vows

“I swear that this time I will lose weight.” “I am going to pray every day…” We make promises all the time. We swear that we are going to do something, and then hope that we will be in a…

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Jewish Treats

Be Careful What You Promise to Do

The annual annulment of vows reminds us how careful we need to be when we speak. This is especially true before promising to do something.

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Weekly Message,Vayeilech,Nitzavim

Nitzavim-Vayeilech 5784-2024

“Choosing Life” (updated and revised from Nitzavim-Vayeilech 5763-2003) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald There’s something very distinctive about the arrival of the Jewish New Year. Whenever…

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Jewish Treats

Saying Amen

The word “Amen” seems to be one of those words associated with prayer throughout the Judeo-Christian culture, but what does it mean? The response Amen at the end of an oath or a prayer…

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Jewish Treats

The Significance of Saying Amen

Don’t miss an opportunity to recite "Amen" to a blessing as it represents an affirmation that the statement made in the blessing is in fact true. In this week’s Parsha, Kee Tavo, we…

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Jewish Treats

The Five Names of Rosh Hashana

In Jewish tradition, Rosh Hashana has several names that can help us understand the importance and power of this holiday. Rosh Hashana, which begins two weeks from tonight, on Wednesday…

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Jewish Treats

Article VI

September 17th is Constitution Day, in honor of the ratification of the United States Constitution in 1787. The Constitution was a radical document at that time, and one of its unique…

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Jewish Treats

Positive Thinking

One of the new holidays that has gained traction due to internet calendars is “Positive Thinking Day,” celebrated this year today, on September 13th. With a little more than than two…

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Jewish Treats

Swiss Jews

A Jewish presence in Switzerland can be traced back to the Middle Ages. Until the 19th century, Jews in Switzerland were restricted in both residence and employment. While there were…

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