Jewish Treats

An Avante-Garde Artist in Russia

El Lissitsky was one of the great Avante-Garde artists of the early twentieth-century. Born on November 23, 1890, in Pochinuk, Russia, Eleazar Lissitsky had an early interest in art. At…

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Jewish Treats

A Symbolic Synagogue

It is a surprisingly ironic fact that a synagogue whose name means “ruin” has, for many decades, been a symbol of hope. The Hurva Synagogue of Jerusalem, which was once known for its lone…

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Jewish Treats

Travelin’

Ever feel nervous just before the start of a trip? Ever have sleepless nights before boarding an airplane? Perhaps these hesitations connect back to a time when travel, whether by road or…

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Jewish Treats

The Jews of North Dakota

On November 2, 1889, North Dakota was admitted to the United States as the 39th state (and South Dakota as the 40th). In honor of that landmark, Jewish Treats presents a brief review of…

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Jewish Treats

National Hermit Day

Judaism is not known for encouraging asceticism. While the Torah commands the Jewish people to “afflict” themselves on Yom Kippur by fasting and refraining from certain pleasurable…

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Jewish Treats

Flexible Invention

This summer you probably enjoyed a plethora of cold, refreshing drinks and a good number of them were possibly sipped through a straw while sitting by a pool (if not, we are allowed to…

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Jewish Treats

Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah

Tonight starts the holiday of Shemini Atzeret, literally the Gathering of the Eighth, a connected, yet independent holiday, that immediately follows Sukkot. During the seven days of…

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Jewish Treats

Inside Prayer

Jewish prayer is a complex, multi-layered activity. The sages refer to prayer as avodah she'balev, service, the same term used to describe the sacrificial service in the Holy…

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Jewish Treats

Ushpeezin (Oo’shpee’zin)

During the festival of Sukkot, the sukkah is intended to be our home. For example, since one would normally dine in the house, on Sukkot one dines in the sukkah. Because the sukkah is…

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Jewish Treats

Room for Creativity

A few years back, The Atlantic Magazine featured a story about a project that came to be known as “Sukkah City” held in New York. Sukkah City challenged architects to create…

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