Hang Your Hammock
Today is National Hammock Day. Hammocking appears to be the ultimate celebration of the lazy days of summer. As we prepare for the onset of Shabbat later this afternoon, Jewish Treats…
People of the (Printed) Book
Johannes Gutenberg, credited as the developer of the printing press, published the Gutenberg Bible in 1445. Printing technology transformed the way people learned. International literacy…
This Tomato Was Grown Where?
The view of Judaism is that humankind has the unique ability to synthesize the physical and the spiritual elements of life. Hence, Jewish law requires Jews to recite a blessing over food…
The Challenge of a Cup of Tea
How do you make a cup of tea? Seems like a silly question, doesn’t it? Tea is easy. Simply take a mug, fill it with hot water, and then just add a tea bag. Let the tea steep and remove…
Your Jewish Life Coach
Do you have a life coach? For those unfamiliar with the term, life coaches work to help their clients determine and achieve their personal goals. While life coaching as a profession in…
The Family’s Blood
Today is World Hemophilia Day, designated to raise awareness of the hereditary blood disorder that prevents one’s blood from clotting. Most forms of hemophilia are passed from mother to…
The Surgery Is Elective
In the late twentieth century, there was, according to anecdotal evidence, an epidemic of “deviated septum” among American Jewish girls. The implication, along with many not-so-funny…
Immersing the Vessels
When shopping for common kitchen items, one typically does not ask the sales clerk, “Who manufactured them?” But, this information determines whether or not one must fulfill the mitzvah…
Shoftim 5783-2023
“Justice, Justice Shall You Pursue” (updated and revised from Shoftim 5764-2004) by, Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Parashat Shoftim--the name means “judges” or “magistrates,” deals…
Honor The “Hoary Head”
Senior Citizen Day, an annual event observed on August 21st, is a day meant to both honor older citizens and to remind the government that seniors are a large and powerful constituency.…