Jonas Phillips: Living in the Revolution
A few weeks after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the British blockade intercepted a communication from Jonas Phillips to a relative on the Dutch Island of St. Estatius.…
Feeling Fit Focused on Napoleon
Believe it or not, bodybuilding as an international sport, has Jewish roots. Jewish Treats presents a brief biography of Ben Weider, who, together with his brother Joe, created the…
The Elder of Slabodka
Students who choose to study the history of the development of the twentieth century rabbinic leadership will likely come across the name “Slabodka.” The town for which the renowned…
Radio Man
The World Day of Radio, that is held annually on February 13th, was approved by the 26th General Conference of UNESCO on November 3, 2011. Its goal is to emphasize the important…
Jewish Jeaneology
February 26th, celebrated as “Levi Strauss Day,” is the day in 1829, that marked the birth of the blue jeans icon. Born in Bavaria, Levi Strauss immigrated, along with his mother and two…
Live Long And Prosper
Every “Trekkie” knows that Spock’s Vulcan salutation is accompanied by a strange hand gesture. What many don’t realize is that Leonard Nimoy who played Spock, borrowed this symbol from…
For The Medal of Honor: The Story of PFC Leonard Kravitz
On March 6, 1951, a platoon of American soldiers serving in the Korean War came under heavy fire by the Chinese Army near Yangpyeong, Korea. When the platoon’s Machine Gunner was wounded,…
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…
Finally Buried
On the 4th of Adar 1307, corresponding to today’s Hebrew date, the Maharam of Rothenburg was buried in the Jewish cemetery in Worms, fourteen years after his death. The rabbi’s remains…
The Purim Story in Under 300 Words
At the end of an 180-day feast, Achashverosh, the King of Persia-Media, banished (some say, executed) his wife Vashti for refusing to appear at his banquet. He then staged an elaborate…