Avinu Malkeinu

No prayer so thoroughly captures the Jewish people’s dual relationship with God as Avinu Malkeinu, “Our Father, Our King.” While Avinu Malkeinu is a prayer widely known to be part of the…

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The Great Hoshana

Rosh Hashana is known as the Day of Judgment (Yom Hadin), the day on which God judges every person. Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is the day on which God finalizes His verdict on the…

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Vayeilech-Yom Kippur 5779-2018

“And Moses Went...” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Vayeilech, the Torah describes Moses’ final actions before his passing. On the last day of his life,…

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Sukkot 5778-2017

“Jewish Unity and the Festival of Sukkot” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Of all the Jewish holidays, the one holiday that is singled out as a “Festival of Joy” is Sukkot. As the Torah in…

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Vayakhel-Pekudei 5783-2023

“Celebrating the Month of Nissan” (updated and revised from Vayakhel-Pekudei 5764-2004)   by, Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This coming Shabbat, the final Shabbat of the Hebrew month of…

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Hoshana Raba

Hoshana Raba The last day of Chol Hamoed Sukkot The last day of Chol Hamoed Sukkot is called Hoshana Raba, the Great Hoshana,…

Reunited and It Feels So Good!

Have you missed the unity with our Israeli brothers and sisters these past three-and-a- half months? Has our non-alignment bothered you? When the first day of Passover falls on Shabbat,…

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Yom Kippur

- Yom Kippur The Day of Atonement begins at sunset.  There is a mysticism in that almost all Jews…

Terumah 5779-2019

“The Mishkan: Underscoring the Centrality of the Home in Jewish Life” (Revised and updated from Terumah 5760-2000) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this coming week’s parasha, parashat…

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Sukkot II 5777-2016

“Why is Sukkot Celebrated in the Fall rather than in the Spring?” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald The Torah, in Leviticus 23:42-43, states, בַּסֻּכֹּת תֵּשְׁבוּ שִׁבְעַת יָמִים; כָּל…

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