Seven Blessings-Sheva Brachot
A couple just starting their lives together inspires joy and hope, and everyone wants to wish them success. These blessings of good will are so important to a new couple that the Jewish…
The Queen of Beauty
Helena Rubinstein was 23 years old when she emigrated to Coleraine, Victoria, Australia. Born in Cracow in December 1870, Rubinstein was the eldest of eight daughters. She was educated in…
The Passover Story In Brief
On Passover, we commemorate the exodus from Egyptian slavery. The following is a brief summary:Jacob's family came to Egypt to escape a famine in Canaan. Joseph, Jacob's son and the…
The First Jewish Author in the Americas
Forgetting the rights and wrongs of conquest, one must acknowledge that the men and women who crossed the ocean to settle the so-called "New World" were incredibly brave. Imagine leaving…
Precious Creation
While there are many appropriate themes with which the Torah could have begun (Abraham, Mt. Sinai, etc.), it begins instead with a day-by-day description of the creation of the world,…
The Passover Story In Brief
On Passover, we commemorate the Exodus from Egyptian slavery. The following is a brief summary: Jacob's family came to Egypt to escape a famine in Canaan. Joseph, Jacob's son and the…
Fast of Esther
"Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day; I and my maidens will also fast in like manner; and so…
The Tribe of Asher
As the forefathers of the tribes of Israel, the lives and personalities of each of the twelve sons of Jacob impacted on the history and behavior of the tribe members who descended from…
E is for Effort
In school students receive As, Bs, Cs, Ds and Fs. Students, however, often comment that they at least deserve an E for effort. This comment reflects an important life lesson that is…
The Fast of Esther
"Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day; I and my maidens will also fast in like manner; and…