Crash Course in Basic Judaism Web Series

Crash Course inBasic JudaismWeb Series To help prepare you to learn or teach a course on one of these topics, watch master…

Crash Course in Basic Judaism Lecture Series

Crash Course in Basic Judaism Lecture Series NJOP Director Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald delivers this thought-provoking Crash…

Five Wise Sisters

Few women are mentioned by name in the Torah, and those who are, are generally the major players (i.e. Sarah, Rachel, Miriam). Yet twice in the Torah, Mach'lah, Noa, Hoglah, Milcah and…

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Smashing the Tablets

The sages declare that five tragedies occurred on the Seventeenth of Tammuz, which is why the day is observed as a fast day. Days of what we might now call "bad karma" (on which bad…

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The Three Weeks

Today, the Seventeenth of Tammuz, is the beginning of the period known as the Three Weeks, when we mourn the national tragedies that befell the Jewish people throughout the generations.

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Word Magic

If you have ever heard that the magical word "Abracadabra" is Hebrew, then you may enjoy today's Jewish Treat highlighting the etymological connection of some common English words and…

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Kiss the Mezuzah

One might easily think of the mitzvah of mezuzah as a passive mitzvah. Simply recite the blessing before affixing the mezuzah to the doorposts of the house, and it is done. While affixing…

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Divine Protection

During the current pandemic, it would be wise to avoid touching or kissing the mezuzah. Nonetheless, remember to bear in mind the mezuzah's symbolism of Divine protection of the Jewish…

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Pinchas 5780-2020

“The Pain of Giving Reproof” (Updated and revised from Parashat Pinchas 5761-2001) by, Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald On Thursday, July 9th, Jews the world over will observe the fast of Shivah…

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Fleeing in the New World

The history of the conversos, those Spanish and Portuguese Jews who hid their identities by publicly behaving as observant Catholics, is tragic not only for the horrible auto-de-fes (mass…

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