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…
Costume Time
Those who first hear about the custom of wearing Purim costumes might assume that the tradition began as an imitation of Halloween. Research, however, places the origin of Halloween…
America’s First Synagogue
In 1656, Shearith Israel, the first synagogue was established in the territory that came to be known as the United States. The synagogue, also known as the Spanish and Portuguese…
Written for Their Sons
Imagine traveling forward 500 years in time and discovering multitudes of people studying something you had written for your child. Imagine walking into a bookstore and finding multiple…
Costume Time
Those who first hear about the custom of wearing Purim costumes might assume that the tradition began as an imitation of Halloween. Research, however, places the origin of Halloween…
The Pope and the Jewish Prayer for Rain
Did you know that several centuries ago, a Pope impacted Jewish law? Most Jewish events of note are based on the Jewish calendar. That’s why it’s surprising to learn that the date when…
This 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…
A Taste of Shakespeare
Yiddish theater, which saw its heyday in the early decades of the twentieth century, played an important role in the lives of the American Jewish community. More than just entertainment…
A Brief History of the Jews of Georgia
Located between Russia and Turkey, at the intersection of Europe and Asia, Georgia was, until the mid-1800s, a place of relatively little anti-Semitism. According to tradition, Jews first…
Tap on the Head
The history of the Jews of Spain is one of glory and fear. By the end of the 15th century, Jewish life was something celebrated in dark cellars with the ever-present fear of discovery.…