Cover Your Ears
Understanding proper speech, according to Jewish tradition, is critical to one’s personal development. Proper speech does not refer to manners or etiquette, but rather to avoiding a broad…
By Your Side
There are many metaphors in Jewish tradition that are meant to help a person understand the spiritual consequences of one’s actions. In a world in which reward and punishment for one’s…
There’s a Key in My Challah
It's a fact that many people spend much time thinking and even worrying about par'nassah (livelihood). Jewish tradition teaches that different seasons have different spiritual strengths.…
Passover II /Final Days 5778-2018
“Passover: The Final Days ” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald According to the Torah (Numbers 28:16-25), there are seven official days of Passover. In Israel, the first day and the final…
Passover 5778-2018
Originally Published 5774-2014 “The Opening Act” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald As every good scriptwriter, playwright or novelist knows, the opening act of a television presentation, a…
You Are Royalty
Passover is known as the festival of freedom. And who is more free than royalty? At the Seder, all Jews are supposed to consider themselves royalty. Some of the ways we demonstrate this…
Community Variations
Rejoice in the variations of Jewish traditions in different communities.
Educating American Girls
When Vichna Kaplan (1913 - 1986) arrived in America in 1937, her experiences confirmed the country’s reputation as a place where Jewish tradition was in danger. This was particularly true…
The Rebbitzen
Esther Jungreis became a rebbitzen when she married Rabbi Meshulum Jungreis in 1955. She became “The Rebbitzen” when she founded Hineni in 1973. Born in Hungary in 1936, Esther and her…
Blessings and Challah
Within Jewish tradition there are many moments that are considered auspicious for increasing blessing in one’s life. These can be special moments in one’s prayer, such as the meditation…