Passover,Weekly Message

Passover 5781-2021

“The Final days of Pesach - Days of Unity” (updated and revised from Passover 5761–2001)   by, Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald The fact that the ancient Israelites happened to find…

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Jewish Treats

Lag Ba’Omer

The period of mourning* (for the 24,000 students of Rabbi Akiva who died of plague) that is associated with Sefirat Ha’Omer, is not observed on the 33rd day of the Omer, a day known as…

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Jewish Treats

A Look at Honesty

In honor of Honesty Day (created by M. Hirsh Goldberg in the 1990s), Jewish Treats presents some fascinating insights into the Jewish view on the importance of honesty. Much of what…

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Jewish Treats

The Book of Lamentations

On Tisha b’Av, the ninth of Av, one of the ways that the Jewish people demonstrate their mourning over the loss of both Holy Temples is by refraining from Torah study that brings pleasure…

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Jewish Treats

The Heel and the Parachute

The title of this week’s parasha, Eikev, is one of the more difficult parasha names to properly translate. The word “eikev” connotes connotes the word “therefore,” so the opening three…

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Jewish Treats

Flying High

There is no telling to what heights Arthur Welsh might have soared, had he not perished in the crash of the Wright Model C plane that he was testing with Leighton Wilson Hazelhurst, Jr.,…

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Jewish Treats

What Are Tefillin?

“And you shall bind them [the words that I command you today] for a sign upon your arm, and they shall be for frontlets between your eyes… (Deuteronomy 6:8)”. The above verse refers to…

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Jewish Treats

Hail The Accuser

In the era of social media, it is almost an everyday occurrence to be asked to sign a petition or to “like” a cause. When Emile Zola, the celebrated French novelist, published J’Accuse on…

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Jewish Treats

Word Magic

Did you know that the origin of the magical word “Abracadabra” is Hebrew? Well, it is! Therefore, you may enjoy today’s Jewish Treat highlighting the etymological connection of some…

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Jewish Treats

Rabbi Israel Salanter and the Mussar Movement

The Mussar movement, the formal study and program of ethical improvement, was developed in the mid-nineteenth century by Rabbi Israel Salanter (1810-1883). Rabbi Israel’s family name was…

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