Kafkaesque
Franz Kafka was born into a Jewish family on July 3, 1883 near the Old Town Square in Prague, in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Franz was the eldest of six children (two tragically died in…
Thoughtful Questions
When someone poses a question, be sure to consider the seriousness of the question and the potential ramifications. When studying Torah, both the written and oral law, it is critical to…
Mourning Jerusalem I: A Brief History of the First Temple
Next Wednesday night and Thursday (July 26th and 27th), Jews the world over will be observing the fast of Tisha b’Av. It is on this day of the Hebrew calendar that the Jewish people mourn…
What Goes Around Comes Around
Is there any truth to the popular statement, “What goes around, comes around?" It is a pithy phrase that is all too often suggested (somewhat viciously) after a person falls into hard…
Rabbi Shmuel Salant
On the 29th of Av, 1909, corresponding to August 16th, Rabbi Shmuel Salant, Jerusalem’s long-time Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi, passed away. Rabbi Shmuel was born in 1816 in Bialystok, then part…
Baron Edmond James de Rothschild
Although he came from a prominent banking family and was employed in the family bank, Baron Edmond James de Rothschild, (born August 19, 1845) was best known for his love of art and his…
An Interesting Philologist
Language is considered to be one of the unique characteristics of humankind. Lazarus (Eliezer Solomon) Geiger believed that there was a great deal to learn about humanity from studying…
Forgiveness: An Elul Treat
Many feel that the three hardest words to say, in any language are: “I am sorry.” Yet, we all know how very important those words are. Indeed, a person saying they are sorry, or at least…
Labor, Technology and the Torah
Labor celebrations have taken place throughout North America since the 1880s, and in 1894, Labor Day became an official U.S. holiday. As students of history are well aware, in the decades…