National Freedom Day

Today, February 1st, is both National Freedom Day and the first day of Black History Month National Freedom Day was initially advocated for by Major Richard Robert Wright Sr. (1855-1947),…

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Thoughts for the Heart

February has been designated American Heart Month. For many years, heart disease was considered to be a mostly male affliction. In order to compensate for, and correct, that…

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Just a Half Shekel

This Shabbat is Parashat Shekalim (shekels, the Biblical monetary units). The Torah portion that speaks of Shekalim (Exodus 30:11-16) is read, as the Maftir portion after the regular…

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Kee Tisah-Purim 5762-2002

"The Story of Esther--Making Choices for Jewish Destiny" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Because the festival of Purim will be celebrated throughout the world this Monday evening, the 25th…

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Hilly Gross’ Speech

Hilly Gross' SpeechAt the 10th Anniversary of the Lincoln Square Beginners Service, Hilly Gross describes what happened when…

Stu Hample

Bereshith Newsletters that contain artwork by Stu Hample. We hope you enjoy them. December 1988 September 1988 May 1988 March 1988 September 1987 April 1987 December 1986 October 1986…

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Tetzaveh 5773-2013

“The Centrality of Light” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Tetzaveh, speaks at length of the priestly vestments. The parasha closes with a description of the…

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Kee Tisah 5778-2018

Safeguarding the Covenant by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald   This week's parasha, parashat Kee Tisah, focuses primarily on the sin of the Golden Calf and Moses' successful invocation of…

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Penny Lane

While the well-known adage requests, “A penny for your thoughts,” perhaps those coins should be sought, instead, in between the cushions of sofas and car seats, in washing machines, and…

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The Samurai Who Saved Thousands of Jews from the Nazis

Often, when tragedy strikes, many seek to uncover a silver lining by searching for heroes and their selflessness. On the pantheon of such heroes during the Shoah (the Holocaust) is Chiune…

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