A Lost Language of Scholarship
When most people think about Jewish language they think of Hebrew or Yiddish, and sometimes of Ladino. In honor of UN Arabic Language Day, Jewish Treats would like to recognize the…
Nittel Nacht
Jews of the 21st century may comment, or even grumble, about the pervasiveness of Christmas in our society, but, let's be honest, in this day and age, the effects of the holiday season…
He Shall Be Praised
Many of us remember learning to write research papers in school. Critical to receiving a good grade was composing a proper concluding paragraph to serve as a summation. While the prayer…
It’s Not a Big Chicken
If there is one thing that is guaranteed to be in supermarkets in November, it’s turkey! In fact, many supermarkets even give them away to promote large purchases of other groceries. As…
The Story of Chanukah
Around the year 167 B.C.E., the Syrian-Greek rulers of Judea tried to force the Jews to assimilate into Hellenic culture. They summoned the Jews to the town squares where they were forced…
For Your Eyes Only
Did you know that according to the U.S. Postal Service, willfully and knowingly reading someone else's mail is a federal offense. That’s right, even that department store bill addressed…
The Original Little Red Riding Hood
The story of Dinah, the youngest child of Leah, and Jacob’s only named daughter, is often glossed over when it is first taught. When Jacob was camped outside the city of Shechem, Dinah…
Clothing Makes The Man – Clothing Makes The Woman
Although it is often noted that traditional Jews dress differently than members of their surrounding culture (particularly members of the Chassidic communities), there is not much…
Personal Preparations
The celebration of Shabbat is meant to be the high-point of the week. Indeed, it is considered proper for one to spend time each day preparing for the coming Shabbat. In order to ensure…
“The Seventh Descendant”
A popular theme among writers of fantasy is the special nature of the seventh son. In works of this genre, this child is often blessed with a natural gift of magic, or a destiny for…