Rabin
Born in Jerusalem on March 1, 1922, Yitzhak Rabin grew up in Tel Aviv. He entered the military service in 1941 when he joined the newly formed Palmach. During World War II, he fought for…
Bereshith 5781-2020
“The Origins and Meaning of Evil” (updated and revised from Bereshith 5762-2001) by, Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald After 9/11 and the World Trade Center terrorist bombings, we thought…
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…
B’shalach 5781-2021
“G-d: The Source of Sweetness” (updated and revised from B’shalach 5762-2002) by, Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat B’shalach, immediately after the splitting of…
More Than Shabbat
Ahad Ha’am (Asher Ginsberg, poet and Zionist ideologue: 1856-1927) is quoted as saying, “More than Jews have kept Shabbat, Shabbat has kept the Jews.” This statement is part of the key to…
Happy Birthday Birkat Hamazon
The Torah (Exodus 16:1) reports that the Children of Israel arrived at the Wilderness of Sin on the 15th of the Hebrew month of Iyar, approximately one month after the exodus from Egypt.…
The Month of Mar-Cheshvan
While today and tomorrow are celebrated as Rosh Chodesh, today is actually the last day of the month of Tishrei and tomorrow is the first day of Mar-Cheshvan, which is the eighth month of…
Rabin
Today is the 26th anniversary of the death of Yitzchak Rabin, who was assassinated on November 4, 1995. Born in Jerusalem on March 1, 1922, Rabin grew up in Tel Aviv. He entered the…
Kristallnacht
Kristallnacht, literally the Night of Crystal, but generally translated as the Night of Broken Glass, was a tragic turning point in the fate of Germany’s Jewish community. The…
Can You Be The Tenth?
That the Hebrew word “minyan” derives from the infinitive “lim’not,” to count or number, is not at all surprising. A minyan is a quorum of 10, the smallest number necessary to create a…