Va’etchanan 5783-2023
"The Dialectic of Body and Soul" (updated and revised from Va’etchanan 5764-2004) In this week’s parasha, parashat Va’etchanan, we encounter several well-known and significant texts.…
Does Life Begin at 40?
In 1932 Walter Pitkin published his popular self-help book, Life Begins at Forty. Truthfully, before the 20th century, life expectancy, on average, rarely exceeded 40. The number 40 is…
Who Lights The Shabbat Candles?
While lighting Shabbat candles is generally considered a “woman’s mitzvah,” and is traditionally performed by the woman of the house, it is actually an obligation of the entire household.…
Naso 5783-2023
“Our Brother, Our Sister--the Proselyte” (updated and revised from Naso 5764-2004) By, Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Naso, we learn of an intriguing law…
Thank You Nurses
Today, May 12th, is International Nurses Day, and so, Jewish Treats honors a woman who made a tremendous impact on the world of public health. Lillian D. Wald (1867–1940) was born to…
Rabbi and Statesman, Rabbi Moses Schorr
Rabbi Moses Schorr was a passionate academic who dedicated most of his indefatigable energy to the Jewish people. Born on May 10, 1874, in Przemyśl, Galicia, when it was still part of…
Kedoshim,Acharei Mot,Weekly Message
Acharei Mot-Kedoshim 5783-2023
“The Jewish Attitude Toward Sexuality” (updated and revised from Acharei Mot-Kedoshim 5764-2004) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Both of this week’s parashiot, Acharei Mot and Kedoshim,…
The Origins of Formal Jewish Education in the United States
Today, thankfully, there are hundreds of Jewish elementary schools in the United States that teach both Judaic and general studies. The paradigm for this movement was the founding of…
Torah, To What Can I Compare Thee?
Various biblical verses and rabbinic texts often compare the Torah to different natural resources, in order to teach us about the greatness of the Torah in terms that can be more readily…
What Wood?
A large portion of the Book of Exodus describes the lengthy instructions for the building of the Mishkan (the portable Tabernacle) and its actual construction. Among the many fascinating…