The First Jew in Iowa
In honor of Iowa’s entry into the United States of America as the 29th state on December 28, 1846, Jewish Treats presents a brief biography of the area’s first Jewish resident, Alexander…
A Famous Family of Translators
In the early Middle Ages, the global Jewish community was basically divided between those living in lands controlled by the church and those in lands controlled by the Arabs. The dominant…
The Author of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
In honor of Human Rights Day, December 10, Jewish Treats presents a brief biography of René Samuel Cassin (October 5, 1887 - February 20, 1976), the author of the Universal Declaration of…
Napoleon’s Sanhedrin
On June 18, 1815, Napoleon Bonaparte suffered his final defeat at the Battle of Waterloo. While it was the end of an era, it was an era that had already changed the entire course of…
Purim Narbonne
During the holiday of Purim, celebrated just last week, Jews around the world commemorated the salvation of the Jewish people from physical decimation. Because Haman had such great…
Rabbeinu Tam
While Rashi (Rabbi Shlomo ben Yitzchak 1040-1105) is considered the premier commentator on the Torah and the Talmud, he is also noted as the grandfather of Rabbi Yaakov ben Meir…
Guilty By Association?
Historic references to David Salisbury Franks (c. 1740-1793) do not mention anti-Semitism. Franks had a far more serious cloud hanging over him--the unfortunate honor of serving as an…
Abraham Ibn Ezra
Biblical scholars study his Torah commentaries, poets read his verse, grammarians look to his linguistic work and a lunar crater is named in his honor. Meet Rabbi Abraham ben Meir Ibn…
How Pirates Spread Torah
From the 6th to the 11th century, the center of Jewish life was in Babylon under Persian rule. The Jewish community was headed politically by the Exilarch and religiously by a sage known…
Meet Rashi, Most Innovative of Teachers
His real name was Shlomo (Solomon), and his father’s name was Itzhak (Isaac). RAbbi SHlomo Itzhaki, RASHI, is perhaps the most revered and the most popular of all commentators on the…