Jewish Treats

Celebrating Chanukah at the White House

When the Founding Fathers of the United States created the role of President, they created a chief executive who functions as both head of state and commander of the armed forces. In the…

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Mishpatim,Weekly Message

Mishpatim 5780-2020

“The ‘Sophisticated’ and ‘Unsophisticated’ Criminal” (updated and revised from Mishpatim 5761-2001)   by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Mishpatim, is a…

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Jewish Treats

Ignominy in Italy

During the long course of Jewish history, one of the multiple tools used to harass and persecute Jews was public humiliation. One such disgraceful public humiliation was the practice of…

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Jewish Treats

On the Wings of Eagles

In Exodus 19, God instructs Moses to address the Children of Israel and to say to them: “You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to…

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Jewish Treats

Penny Lane

While the well-known adage requests, “A penny for your thoughts,” perhaps those coins should be sought, instead, in between the cushions of sofas and car seats, in washing machines, and…

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Yitro,Weekly Message

Yitro 5780-2020

“Can the Torah Forbid Feelings that are Part of Normal Human Emotions?” (Updated and revised from Yitro 5761-2001) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Yitro, is one…

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Jewish Treats

Tu b’Shevat is Coming

While it may seem as if winter has just begun, it may be time to look beyond the turbulent weather and see that spring is just around the corner. You might wonder how one can possibly…

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Jewish Treats

Jews and Bubble Gum

The first Friday in February is celebrated as “Bubble Gum Day.” Ruth Spiro, an author of children’s books who chews gum as an avocation, proposed the day in 2006 to enable children to…

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Jewish Treats

The Royal Family and the Jews

On February 6, 1952, Queen Elizabeth II assumed the throne of “the United Kingdom and her other realms and Territories” upon the death of her father, King George VI. While the Queen is…

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Jewish Treats

Does God Experience Difficulty?

In the middle of parashat B’shalach, we encounter the great miracle of God splitting the Red Sea. The sages in the Talmud (Sotah 2a) used this great supernatural phenomenon to declare…

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