Bereshith 5775-2014

“The Sad Destiny of the Firstborn Children” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald A prominent feature of the book of Genesis is the struggle for family leadership between the firstborn and the…

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Inauguration Oil

Elected U.S. presidents are inaugurated on January 20th. But, it wasn’t always that way. The Congress of the Confederation set March 4, 1789, as the date for “commencing proceedings” of…

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The Jews of Luxembourg

When the small European nation of Luxembourg became independent in 1815, there were fewer than 100 Jews in the country. The earliest records of Jewish residence in Luxembourg, however,…

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What’s Yiddish for Radio?

World Radio Day (February 13) was created by UNESCO in order to honor the incredible and diverse contribution radio has made to the world. Not only has radio broadcasting allowed for the…

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Telephone, Gramaphone, Helicopter…Emile Berliner

Emile Berliner (May 20, 1851 - August 3, 1929) came to America to avoid being drafted as a soldier in the Franco-Prussian War. A native of Hanover, Germany, Berliner had trained as a…

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A Failed Bid For Asylum

Political intrigue has been part of statehood since the formation of the very first kingdom. Often what one person thinks of as patriotism is seen by others as treason, It is usually the…

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Telephone, Gramaphone, Helicopter…Emile Berliner

Emile Berliner (May 20, 1851 – August 3, 1929) came to America to avoid being drafted as a soldier in the Franco-Prussian War. A native of Hanover, Germany, Berliner had trained as a…

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Telephone, Gramaphone, Helicopter…Emile Berliner

Emile Berliner (May 20, 1851 – August 3, 1929) came to America to avoid being drafted as a soldier in the Franco-Prussian War. A native of Hanover, Germany, Berliner had trained as a…

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Devarim-Tisha B’Av 5766-2006

"Isaiah's Message to Contemporary Jews" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald The weekly Torah portion of Devarim is always read on the week that precedes the fast of Tisha b'Av. (This year, the…

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Vayigash 5774-2013

“The Dreams and the Divine Covenant” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Vayigash, Joseph reveals himself to his brothers. After twenty-two years of separation,…

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