Bostoner
Boston is a famous and historic American city, with a rich early-American flavor. So it might therefore be surprising to learn that Boston is the home of its own unique chassidic sect. It…
Opulent on the Outside Only
Dressed in fancy clothes with silver buttons and a hat of golden fur, Rabbi Israel Friedman (1797-1850) of Rhuzin was a unique figure among the chassidic leaders. He surrounded himself…
Progress For Women
On August 26, 1920, the 19th amendment to the United States Constitution went into effect, prohibiting all U.S. states and the Federal government from denying the right to vote to any…
Sukkot 5782-2021
“A Sukkah Memory” (updated and revised from Sukkot 5763-2002) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Growing up as one of the few religious Yeshiva students in the East Bronx in the early 1950s was…
Bostoner
Boston is a famous and historic American city, with a rich early American flavor. So, it might therefore be surprising to learn that Boston is the home of its own unique chassidic sect.…
Relative Suffering
In Parashat Vayechi we find the patriarch Jacob saying goodbye, and offering blessings and words of wisdom to his loving family. Before offering parting words to all of his sons, Jacob…
Campaigning From The Periphery Or The Center?
There’s an adage in American politics, that candidates win their party’s primary by positioning themselves to the extreme, and win national elections by moving to the center. Should a…
Tragedy Overcome
Originally based in the town of Bobowa in Southern Poland, the Bobover chassidim were almost completely annihilated by the Nazis. Rabbi Ben Tzion Halberstam, the second Bobover Rebbe, and…
Kedoshim,Weekly Message,Acharei Mot
Acharei Mot-Kedoshim 5777-2017
“Judging Others Favorably” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Parashat Kedoshim, the second of this week’s double parashiot, Acharei Mot-Kedoshim, has 38 negative and 13 positive mitzvot and…
Toledot 5769-2008
"The Blessings of a Tzaddik" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week's parasha, parashat Toledot, we read of Isaac's desire to bless Esau, and Rebecca's scheme to divert the blessing to…