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…
Weekly Message,Vayeilech,Yom Kippur
Vayeilech/Yom Kippur 5783-2022
“Difficult Transitions” (Updated and revised from Vayeilech/Yom Kippur 5769-2008) by, Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald On the last day of his life, Moses seals the new covenant with the People…
A Ship’s Tale
Well sit right back and you’ll hear a tale…Alas, this ship’s tale is no three-hour tour, but the story of the birth of Jewish life in North America. It is well-known that the first Jewish…
Humble Beginnings
While New York City today has the highest concentrations of Jews of any city in the world outside of Israel, consider the humble beginnings for a group of 23 Jewish men, women and…
Matot-Masei 5782-2022
“The Massacre of the Midianites: Does Judaism Countenance Genocide?” (Updated and revised from Matot-Masei 5763-2003) by, Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald At the conclusion of parashat Balak,…
Chukat 5782-2022
“A Tribute to Miriam, Our Sister” (updated and revised from Chukat 5764-2004) by, Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parshat Chukat, sadly informs us of the death of Miriam.…
Bamidbar 5782-2022
“The Role of the Levites, and the Service of Yeshiva Students in the Israeli Army.” (updated and revised from Bamidbar 5763-2003) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week, we begin to…
Yom Hashoah, Holocaust Memorial Day
Yom Hashoah, is observed each year on the 27th of Nissan, which is tonight and tomorrow. Jews around the world will mark Yom Hashoah (Officially Yom Ha’zikaron La’shoah V’ha’g’vurah,…
Pekudei 5782-2022
“The Lesson of the Basin: ‘Don’t Judge a Basin by its Cooper’” (updated and revised from Pekudei 5763-2003) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Pekudei, opens with…
Before Michigan
The foundations of Michigan’s Jewish community were laid by the German Jews who came to America in the 1840s and spread out across the continent. Jewish history in Michigan, which became…