Jewish Treats

Purim Narbonne

During the holiday of Purim, celebrated just last week, Jews around the world commemorated the salvation of the Jewish people from physical decimation. Because Haman had such great…

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Jewish Treats

Coca Koller and Cocaine

Today is National Doctor’s Day. Because the date, March 30th, was chosen in honor of the day on which the first general anesthesia, a dose of ether, was used in surgery in 1842, Jewish…

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Jewish Treats

Beer

In Tractate Pesachim 107a, beer lovers can find an interesting discussion about the use of beer for kiddush or havdallah. “Rabbi Hisda asked Rabbi Huna: Is it permitted to recite kiddush…

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Jewish Treats

Israel’s Memorial Day

The State of Israel’s independence, as well as its continued survival, is a modern-day miracle. But it has come at great cost in human lives and to its citizens. Therefore, before Israel…

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Jewish Treats

Cheer Up The Lonely

The most frequently cited cause for the destruction of the Second Temple is Sinat Chinam, best translated as senseless hatred. The in-fighting among the Jews of Judea, not only weakened…

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Jewish Treats

Shakespeare’s Jew

From 1290 until the 1650s, Jews were not permitted to settle in England. However, marranos/anusim–Jews from Spain and Portugal who had converted to Christianity in name only in order to…

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Jewish Treats

The Might of the Pen

The fact that today is “National Ballpoint Pen Day” offers Jewish Treats the opportunity to introduce László Bíró, the Hungarian-Jewish inventor of the now ubiquitous ballpoint writing…

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Jewish Treats

Hang Your Hammock

Today is National Hammock Day. Hammocking appears to be the ultimate celebration of the lazy days of summer. As we prepare for the onset of Shabbat later this afternoon, Jewish Treats…

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Jewish Treats

Happy Birthday Maestro!

Not too many people can claim to have entertained the Queen of England, played at a Presidential Inauguration, conducted symphony orchestras, appeared on numerous occasions in Carnegie…

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Jewish Treats

Mezuzah: Complete Fulfillment

A mezuzah on the doorpost is a public sign of a Jewish home. If you open the decorative container of the mezuzah, you will find a piece of parchment with two sets of Hebrew verses from…

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