Lancaster Jews
Many people do not realize that Lancaster, Pennsylvania, home to the famous Amish community, was one of the few active Jewish communities during the colonial era and has the fourth oldest…
Tzav 5768-2008
"Never Give Up Hope!" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In the opening verses of this week's parasha, parashat Tzav, we learn the details concerning the priestly responsibilities when offering…
Va’eira 5763-2002
"The Exodus--A 'Primitive' Story with Revolutionary Implications" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Jewish history is often perceived, with great justification I might add, as one unending…
Va’eira 5783-2023
“The Exodus--A ‘Primitive’ Story with Revolutionary Implications” (updated and revised from Va’eira 5763-2002) by, Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Jewish history is often perceived, with great…
Bo 5761-2001
"The Slave Mentality" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This coming week's parasha, parashat Bo, concludes the narrative of the ten plagues by recounting the final three plagues, locusts,…
Summer Camp
The end of the school year is upon us, and across the country, many parents are packing their children’s trunks for summer camp. The world of Jewish camping began as a reaction to…
Chosen To Write: Chaim Potok
In Genesis 32, Jacob wrestled with an angel and emerged as Israel, “He who struggles.” In the 20th-21st century, Western Jews spend a great amount of energy wrestling with the world of…
On the Canadian Prairie
Thirty-three years old at the time of his immigration, Grodno-born Rabbi Israel Isaac Kahanovitch was called to Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1906, after spending a year in Scranton,…
Rabbi Eliezer Silver
Historians have noted the seemingly underwhelming response of the American Jewish community to the Holocaust as it unfolded in Europe. Among the few who were prominent activists was Rabbi…
In God We Trust
The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution famously begins: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” Known as “The…