Fleeing in the New World

The history of the conversos, those Spanish and Portuguese Jews who hid their identities by publicly behaving as observant Catholics, is tragic not only for the horrible auto-de-fes (mass…

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Shakespeare’s Jew

From 1290 until the 1650s, Jews were not permitted to settle in England. However, marranos/anusim–Jews from Spain and Portugal who had converted to Christianity in name only in order to…

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Fleeing in the New World

The history of the conversos, those Spanish and Portuguese Jews who hid their identities by publicly behaving as observant Catholics, is tragic not only for the horrible auto-de-fes (mass…

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Toledot 5770-2009

"The Jew Under the Microscope" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week's parasha, parashat Toledot, the Torah tells us that, once again, there was a famine in the land of Canaan, aside…

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Toledot 5761-2000

"The Ancient Origins and Practice of Anti-Semitism" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this coming week's parasha, parashat Toledot, we read that Yitzchak follows in the footsteps of his…

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Tetzaveh 5770-2010

"The Central Role of the Golden Altar and the Incense" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald The order of the Torah's instructions, regarding the furnishings of the Tabernacle and the vestments…

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Sources Commentators

Abarbanel (1437-1508, Spanish statesman, philosopher and commentator) Israel Abrahams (1858-1925) Achad Ha’Am (Asher Zvi Hirsh Ginsberg, 1856-1927) AJOP (Association for Jewish Outreach…

Passover I 5765-2005

"In Every Generation" by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald Although the scheduled Torah portion for this week is Acharei Mot, I would like to dwell on the theme of Passover, since the festival…

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Tisha b’Av

Tisha b’Av The saddest day in the Jewish calendar, believed to be a day which is destined for tragedy.  Guide…

Toledot 5781-2020

“The Ancient Origins and Practice of Anti-Semitism” (updated and revised from Toledot 2000-5761) by, Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Toledot, we learn that…

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