Passover II 5773-2013
“The Final Days of Passover: A Call For Modesty in Jewish Life” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald The Midrash, in Shemot Rabba 23:5, speaks of a purported conversation between G-d and Israel…
Eden in the Garden State
The first residents of the current state of New Jersey were Dutchmen from New Amsterdam (New York) who settled Jersey City in 1614. Some historians claim that in 1655, some Jews from New…
Yiddish in Shanghai
During World War II, Japanese-occupied Shanghai, China, became a haven for Jewish refugees, most notably the students from the Mirrer Yeshiva. After the “Battle of Shanghai” in 1937, the…
Benjamin’s Great Journey
Today, when someone talks about traveling through Europe or Asia, it is hardly surprising. In fact, thousands of young adults do it every year. In the 12th century, however, traveling…
Good Fences Make Good Neighbors?
The term “ghetto” has a sad connotation in Jewish history and a very negative association when referring to certain poor urban areas. The term’s etymology, however, originates from a…
Chinese Tiles and Jewish Ladies
It is a well-known joke that Jews have a particular affinity for Chinese food, especially on a certain legal holiday in December. But there is another surprising connection of…
A Late Acknowledged Hero
In honor of Veterans Day, Jewish Treats presents a brief biography of Tibor “Ted” Rubin, a true hero whose story is one of courage, honor and patience. Born in Paszto, Hungary in 1929,…
The Jews of Kaifeng
Until the late 19th century, the Chinese city of Kaifeng was home to an active and dedicated Jewish community that had been there for hundreds of years. The Jews that formed the Kaifeng…
Where Are You Shopping?
If you spent the day frantically shopping at Saks, Bloomingdales or Neiman Marcus* (to name a few), you've witnessed the amazing legacy of the 19th century influx of German Jews to…
Irish Jews
The exile of the Jewish people has taken them to every corner of the earth. Jews have lived in and built communities in Europe, China, India, Central Asia, Africa, South America, North…