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…

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Kee Tisah 5763-2003

"Reverence for Learning in Jewish Tradition" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this coming week's parasha, parashat Kee Tisah, we read of the fateful sin of the Jewish people with the…

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Observance and Prayer Outline

Passover Observanceand Prayer Outline The Seder night, when family and friends gather together to commemorate our redemption…

Rosh Hashana 5772-2011

"The Dialectic of Joy and Fear" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald There is an inherent inconsistency with respect to the nature of the High Holidays. On the one hand, these fateful days of…

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December 2001

Table of Contents A Glimmer of Light Read Hebrew America/Canada NJOP Volunteers Boston University Hillel Augusta, GA Governor Pataki Salutes NJOP Sam Domb’s Dedication The…

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Eikev 5777-2017

“Stages of Religious Growth” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In parashat Eikev, Moses continues his exhortation of the People of Israel, in preparation for their entry into the Promised…

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Fire and Ice

A news story in June, 2017, reported that a combination of ice and fire doomed the Titanic and caused its sinking on April 14, 1912. Photos of the ship prior to its departure from Belfast…

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Laws and Customs of Shavuot

ShavuotLaws and Customs Table of Contents Festival Laws The Book of Ruth Customs Shavuot is a low-key, pensive holiday,…

Both Oral and Written

The development of the printing press had an incredible impact on Western civilization. Prior to the printing press, all documents were hand-written, limiting their dissemination and…

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Separation of Church and State

Recently @JewishTweets mentioned, in passing, a website created specifically to give cheers or jeers to those who would or would not say “Merry Christmas.” Many of the jeers were given to…

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