The Fall of the Wall

Today, November 9, is marked on some calendars as World Freedom Day in tribute to the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. The collapse of the iron curtain changed the world and…

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Jewish Geography

If you were lost in the wilderness, would you know which way was north? The classic natural tracking maneuver is to look up at the sky and find the north star. It is interesting then to…

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Vayeishev 5767-2006

"What's in a Name?" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week's parasha, parashat Vayeishev, we are privileged to encounter one of the great epic narratives of world literature, the saga…

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Va’eira 5769-2009

"Why Didn't the Egyptians Rebel Against Pharaoh?" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In parashat Va'eira, we learn of the first seven plagues that struck Egypt: Blood, frogs, lice, wild…

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Acharei Mot-Kedoshim 5769-2009

"Blood–the Essence of Life" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In parashat Tzav, the Torah declares rather definitively, (Leviticus 7:26), "V'chol dahm lo toch'loo b'chol mohsh'voh'taychem,"…

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Passover Writings

Passover Writings Order in Ten Plagues by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald Demystifying…Bedikat Chametz (The Search for Chametz)…

Passover 5771-2011

“At the Passover Seder We Are All Children” by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald In our previous discussions of Passover, we focused on the frequent emphasis on children, especially at the Passover…

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Mikeitz 5781-2020

“A Dysfunctional Family Becomes Functional” (updated and revised from Mikeitz 5762-2001) by, Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Mikeitz, the soap opera, (just…

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From Deadwood to Rapid City

Images of the Wild West are filled with swinging saloon doors, dusty main streets, and small, fenced-in cemeteries. One would not then expect to find a place called Hebrew Hill in…

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Coming to California

When we think of California today, we think of perfect weather, beautiful beaches and Hollywood stars. Before these modern dreams, however, California was a land of wild settlers who had…

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