Re’eh 5784-2024
“Adding or Subtracting” (updated and revised from Re’eh 5766-2006) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Parashat Re’eh is a rich and colorful parasha, that contains 55 mitzvot--17 positive and 38…
Minsk, Pinsk and Dvinsk
Dvinsk, also known as Daugavpils or Duenaburg, is Latvia’s second largest city, situated 140 miles southeast of Riga, Latvia’s capital. Dvinsk became a Jewish center in the Baltics…
Honor The “Hoary Head”
Senior Citizen Day, an annual event observed on August 21st, is a day meant to both honor both older citizens and to remind the government that seniors are a large and powerful…
Educating American Girls
When Vichna Kaplan (1913–1986) arrived in America in 1937, her experiences confirmed the country’s reputation as a place where Jewish religious life was in danger. This was particularly…
No Holiday as Joyous
Tu b’Av (The Fifteenth of Av), which is today, is no longer the well-known holiday on the Jewish calendar that it was in ancient times. In fact, the Talmud states that: “There were no…
Eikev 5784-2024
“Understanding Birkat Hamazon, the Grace After Meals” (updated and revised from Eikev 5765-2005) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Eikev, we are told of the…
A Whispered Line
The Shema is both a prayer and a statement of the most fundamental aspect of Jewish theology: God’s oneness. The words of the first line of the Shema are found in this week’s Torah…
Remember to Whisper
When reciting the Shema, whether in the morning or in the evening, remember to recite the words Baruch shem k’vod malchuto l’olam va’ed" (‘Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom for…
Sir Moses Montefiore
Sir Moses Montefiore (1784-1885) had an extraordinary impact on the world. Beginning a career in general business, Montefiore quickly gained one of the 12 brokers’ licenses that were set…
Cover Your Ears
The Talmud, in tractate Yoma 9B states that the Second Temple was destroyed because of Sinat Chinam, baseless hatred. Today, on Tisha b’Av, Jewish Treats takes a closer look at the…