Golda
Stories of the Zionist leaders of the early twentieth century usually begin: "He came from Poland (or Russia) and...” Golda Meir’s account, however, begins quite differently: She came…
Adopting Moses
In honor of National Adoption Day (November 20, 2010), Jewish Treats pays tribute to Bithia, the daughter of Pharaoh, whose adoption of a baby in a basket changed the course of human…
B’Sha’a Tova
“Mazal Tov!” This Jewish expression has, without question, crossed the societal divide and is a well-known phrase throughout the western world. And while many popular entertainers and…
Fearing God
“The fear of God is the beginning of knowledge...” (Proverbs 1:7) The idea of “fearing God” carries with it overtones of fire and brimstone, a puritanical flavor that seems foreign to our…
Reincarnation
Reincarnation is a word that to most Jews screams of foreign cultures. What is not common knowledge, however, is that the reincarnation of souls is a concept found in Judaism (although…
What’s In The Book: Isaiah
The Book of Isaiah is famous for its rich, metaphorical language. Isaiah ben Amoz was a prophet during the reigns of the Judean kings Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah. The inhabitants of…
Mourning Jerusalem
Today, Jews all over the world observe the fast of Tisha b’Av. It is on this day that the Jewish people mourn the destruction of both the First and the Second Temples. The First Temple…
The Jews of St. Estatius: A Story of the American Revolution
The story of St. Estatius, a small Caribbean Island, brings together a remote location, the American Revolution and Jewish history. It is one of those strange tales Jewish Treats loves to…
Catherine And The Jews
Catherine II (AKA Catherine the Great, 1729-1796) was born Sophia Augusta Frederica, a daughter of the ruling family of Anhalt (a German state). In 1744, she married her second cousin,…
What’s In The Book: I Kings
I Kings begins with Adonijah’s rebellion against his father, King David, the declaration of Solomon as heir to the throne, and King David’s death. King Solomon built the Holy Temple. I…