The Flying Rabbi
On October 24, 2011, a memorial to 14 Jewish chaplains of the United States Armed Services was dedicated in Arlington National Cemetery. The 14 Jewish chaplains whose names were inscribed…
Name Change
It is not a coincidence that cultures around the world share a belief in the power of given names. In Judaism, it is believed that parents are granted a flash of ruach hakodesh, Divine…
Offer Assistance
If you are told that someone’s Hebrew name has been changed or that a Hebrew name was added to an individual’s name, try to find out if you can be helpful to them during a time that may…
His Tricks Were Quite a Treat
It is commonly acknowledged that the magician and escape artist Harry Houdini (1874-1926) set the standard for all performing magicians to come. Many people are also aware of the fact…
Kristallnacht
Kristallnacht, literally the Night of Crystal, but generally translated as the Night of Broken Glass, was a tragic turning point in the fate of Germany’s Jewish community. The…
Leah’s Story
On the morning after Jacob was to marry Rachel, he woke to find that his new bride was actually Rachel’s older sister Leah. The Midrash records that Jacob said to Leah: “Deceiver,…
Jews in Mississippi
In honor of "National Mississippi Day," Jewish Treats is proud to share a brief history of the Jews in Mississippi. In 1804, a year after the “Louisiana Purchase” was concluded, the…
President William Howard Taft – Friend of the Jews
Jewish Treats presents a quick look at the relationship of President William Howard Taft (1857–1930) and the Jewish people worldwide. Taft’s presidency (1909–1913) overlapped with the era…
Painting Our People
Born on December 26, 1902, in Rahachow, Belarus (in the Pale of Settlement), Anatoli Lvovich Kaplan was a Jewish painter who celebrated his Jewish heritage and the Jewish world in his…
Blessed Is He Who Makes Strange Creatures
An individual might not think that Jewish Treats would have much to say about “Peculiar People Day,” as January 10th has been dubbed by those who create new holidays. However, the sages…