More Than A Book Seller
Sholem Yankev Abramovitsh, born on January 2, 1836, to a poor family near Minsk, had a traditional religious Jewish childhood. After his father passed away when he was 13, …
A Look at the Raven
With its sharp black feathers and piercing ebony eyes, the raven could be seen as a much maligned bird. It is often considered a harbinger, or even a minion, of evil. The root of the…
A Place For the Artists
Marcel Janco, who passed away on April 21, 1984, is best known as one of the founders of the Dada movement, an avant-garde art movement of the early twentieth century that rejected…
Are They Out There?
People have always been intrigued by the unknown, such as far off lands and just-out-of sight mysteries. One of the most fascinating avenues of exploration, both real and imaginary, is…
How Now, Red Cow
Every year, on the first or second Shabbat following Purim, a special reading from Numbers 19, is added to the regular Shabbat Torah reading. Known as Parashat Parah, the Torah…
Irish in Fairbanks
In 1910, while visiting her family in her native town of Dublin, Jessie Spiro was introduced to her second cousin, Robert Bloom. He was eight years her senior and had spent the last…
Five Ways to Prepare
Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy (Zachor et yom HaShabbat l'kadsho - Exodus 20:8). This commandment alludes to all the positive mitzvot of Shabbat, such as reciting kiddush,…
A Woman of Chemistry
If you or someone you love has ever been treated for leukemia, lupus or gout (or a host of other ailments) then you quite likely owe a debt of gratitude to Gertrude Elion (1918-1999), who…
Rabbi Ashi
Every generation needs a leader. The Talmud notes that “a righteous man does not depart from the world until [another] righteous man like himself is created, as it is said (Ecclesiastes…