Great Scots

The story of the great masses of Eastern European Jews who arrived in New York and settled on the Lower East Side of Manhattan is more than simply conventional history. It is now regarded…

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Jokes On Us

“Knock. Knock” “Who’s There?” “Jewish” “Jewish Who?” “Jewish Treats” ….Ok, not so funny, but, when you get to the bottom of it, April Fool's Day (or All Fools Day) is hardly a Jewish…

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Who Was Mordechai?

There are some people in this world who always seem to be right in the thick of the action. As described in the Book of Esther, this was Mordechai. It is Mordechai’s cousin who is chosen…

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Pekudei 5782-2022

“The Lesson of the Basin: ‘Don’t Judge a Basin by its Cooper’” (updated and revised from Pekudei 5763-2003) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Pekudei, opens with…

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The Green Mountain State

Aside from Senator Bernie Sanders, Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield – aka “Ben & Jerry’s” – people normally do not associate the Green Mountain State with Jews. Although some scholars date…

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Shabbat Inspires

NJOP reached out to a diverse group of Jewish people and asked them to tell us what it is about Shabbat that keeps drawing them back to celebrate each week. View all of the videos below.…

The Jew Who Played for Germany

It is impossible to imagine what the thoughts of Rudi Victor Ball were when high ranking Nazi officials asked him to rejoin his German ice hockey teammates and play for Germany in the…

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Kee Tisah 5782-2022

“Limitless Leadership” (Updated and revised from Kee Tisah 5764-2004) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Kee Tisah, we read of the fateful sin of the people of…

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Penny Lane

While the well-known adage requests, “A penny for your thoughts,” perhaps those coins should be sought, instead, in between the cushions of sofas and car seats, in washing machines and in…

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Tetzaveh 5782-2022

“The Primacy of Jewish Education” (updated and revised from Tetzaveh 5763-2003) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In last week’s parasha, parashat Terumah, we read of the appeal that was made…

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