The Iron Curtain

On March 5, 1946, barely one year after the end of World War II, recently-defeated British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill, delivered a speech entitled, “Sinews of Peace” at…

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The Jews of Ecuador

While Ecuador does not have a large Jewish population, (there are fewer than 400 active members of the community), its history mirrors that of many South American and Central American…

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The Demise of Villains

Purim is a day on the Jewish calendar throughout Jewish history that has brought much joy to the Jewish people. A few years ago, a Jewish Soviet immigrant to the United States shared that…

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Shemini 5784-2024

“Those Remarkable Dietary Laws” (updated and revised from Shemini 5766-2006) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Shemini, contains an extensive excursion into the…

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The Autonomous Oblast

It might be surprising to learn that the first Jewish “state” was not Israel. It might be more surprising to find out that the first attempt to create an autonomous Jewish region occurred…

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Jews and the Crimea

In 2014, the Russian army seized control of the Crimea. This occurred after Russia claimed a referendum of Crimean citizens, many of whom are Russian nationals, overwhelmingly favored…

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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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Shemini 5766-2006

"Those Remarkable Dietary Laws" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week's parasha, parashat Shemini, embarks on an extensive excursion, that is devoted to the Jewish dietary laws. In fact,…

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History of the State Since 1948

History of the StateSince 1948 Table of Contents the war of independence population shifts 1956- the sinai campaign 1967 –…

The Jewish Winter Palace

November 7, 1917, or October 25th on the Julian Calendar that was still used by the Russian Orthodox Church at the time, marks the climax of the Russian Revolution. On that day, the…

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