What is Shemittah?

We have now completed the fall holidays and have fully entered the new year, 5775. Beyond the quaint palindrome nature of its numbers, this new year is distinct from the past few years in…

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Foreign Fruit?

 elxeneize / Via bigstockphoto.com In two days…

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Something Extra In Your Lettuce?

Here’s a delicious sounding salad: romaine lettuce, spinach, cauliflower, red onion, red cabbage, chickpeas and strawberries. At first glance, this combination of fresh vegetables,…

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Tu b’Shevat

Tu b'ShevatNew Year for Trees Tu b’Shevat is a rabbinical, not biblical holiday. In fact, it is first…

Kee Tavo 5765-2005

"Contemporary Implications of an Ancient Ritual" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In our analysis of parashat Kee Tavo for 2003/5763, we reviewed the message of the extraordinary confession…

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B’ha’alot’cha 5760-2000

"Giving Our Disciples A Firm Grounding" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this coming week's parasha, parashat Beha'alotecha, G-d speaks to Moshe and says to him (Numbers 8:2): "Daber el…

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Pekudei 5774-2014

“Moses Retires from Center Stage” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Pekudei, the moment for which the People of Israel have long been waiting, has finally…

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Terumah 5776-2016

“Charity–the Only True Possession” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Terumah, we read of the Israelites’ overwhelmingly generous response to the appeal for…

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B’ha’a’lot’cha 5779-2019

“Giving Our Disciples A Firm Grounding” (Revised and updated from B’ha’a’lot’cha 5760-2000) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald   In this week’s parasha, parashat B’ha’a’lot’cha, G-d speaks…

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Israel’s Special Foods

Make an extra effort to buy and consume Israeli produce. Please note that there are unique agricultural laws regarding Israeli produce. You can learn more from the OU, the largest…

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