Resuming Normalcy
With Tisha b’Av and its restrictions behind us, we can now resume our every-day lives.Tradition teaches that the enemies of Israel lit the Holy Temple aflame at the very end of the 9th of…
In God We Trust
The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution famously begins: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” Known as “The…
The Book of Ruth
Ruth was the Moabite wife of Machlon, one of the sons of Elimelech and Naomi, a wealthy couple who had fled Bethlehem during a bitter famine. Elimelech's family had settled in Moab, a…
How Pharaoh Enslaved the Israelites
While reading the Book of Exodus, one might wonder at the swift descent of the Jewish nation from being the privileged family of the Viceroy, Joseph, to becoming downtrodden and abused…
Why Laban is in the Haggadah
In honor of the upcoming holiday of Passover, it is time to review the important narrative featured in the Haggadah...the story of Laban. Many Jewish Treats readers are,…
Judaism at the Barber
On February 20, 1816, Rossini’s classic opera, The Barber of Seville, premiered at the Teatro Argentina in Rome. In tribute, Jewish Treats will address the Torah’s instructions for…
Hail to the Chief
“A blessing for the czar? Of course. May God bless and keep the czar... far away from us.” So jokes the rabbi of Anatevka during the opening number of Fiddler on the Roof. This was a real…
Preacher Man
One does not often associate preachers with Judaism. There are, however, certain distinct personalities in Jewish history who are known for their ability to inspire through their…
Jokes On Us
“Knock. Knock” “Who’s There?” “Jewish” “Jewish Who?” “Jewish Treats”....Ok, not so funny, but, when you get to the bottom of it, April Fools Day (or All Fools Day) is hardly a Jewish…
Can There Be Too Much Joy?
The Talmud (Mo’ed Katan 8b) rules that we may not get married during the intermediate days of a festival. The Talmud offers two reasons for the prohibition. First, because we do not mix…