Prepare for the Final Celebratory Days of Passover
The seventh day of Passover, which begins tonight, recalls the splitting of the Sea of Reeds and the Shirah (song), which is tomorrow’s Torah reading. In honor of the beginning of the…
Emor 5783-2023
“Striving for Perfection” (updated and revised from Emor 5766-2006) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Emor, the theme of “perfection” appears repeatedly in…
The Surgery Is Elective
In the late twentieth century, there was, according to anecdotal evidence, an epidemic of “deviated septum” among American Jewish girls. The implication, along with many not-so-funny…
Bamidbar 5783-2023
“Surviving the Wilderness” (updated and revised from Bamidbar 5764-2004) by, Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Bamidbar, the Israelites enter the…
Green Cheesecake At Midnight
The holiday of Shavuot has three well-known, and well-loved, customs: Decorating our Homes and Synagogues with Plants and Flowers: According to the Midrash, at the time of the giving of…
Does Life Begin at 40?
In 1932 Walter Pitkin published his popular self-help book, Life Begins at Forty. Truthfully, before the 20th century, life expectancy, on average, rarely exceeded 40. The number 40 is…
Shoftim 5783-2023
“Justice, Justice Shall You Pursue” (updated and revised from Shoftim 5764-2004) by, Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Parashat Shoftim--the name means “judges” or “magistrates,” deals…
Chag Sameach
NJOP and Jewish Treats wish our friends and followers a hearty Chag Sameach (Happy holiday!), as we celebrate the joyous holidays of Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah. The joyous festival…
Yonah of Geronah
It is a fact of history that students have frequently been at the center of radical movements, often under the influence of a teacher or mentor. This was the case of Rabbi Yonah of…