Lech Lecha 5775-2014

“Lot Grows Increasingly Estranged from his Uncle Abram” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Lech Lecha, Abram (he has not yet been renamed Abraham) concludes the…

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Pinchas 5775-2015

“Learning by Example” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Pinchas, G-d rewards Pinchas, the son of Elazar, the grandson of Aaron the High Priest, for turning…

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Kee Tisah 5778-2018

Safeguarding the Covenant by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald   This week's parasha, parashat Kee Tisah, focuses primarily on the sin of the Golden Calf and Moses' successful invocation of…

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Bamidbar-Shavuot 5778-2018

“Counting a Very Special People” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald   With this week’s parasha, parashat Bamidbar, Jews throughout the world begin reading the fourth book of the Torah,…

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Tazria-Metzorah 5780-2020

“Challenging the Stereotypes: Purity and Impurity in Childbirth” (edited and revised from Parashiot Tazria-Metzorah 5761-2001)   by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald   In the first of…

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Chayei Sarah 5770-2009

"The Willing Bride" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week's parasha, parashat Chayei Sarah, the wondrous story unfolds of Rebecca's selection to be the wife of Isaac and, ultimately,…

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How to Unify the Nation

This Shabbat we read in the Torah both parashat Vayakhel and the special Torah portion for parashat Shekalim, that describes the half shekel donation given in Temple times to the Temple…

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The Great Jewish Tenor

There was a time, in the first half of the 20th century, when chazanut (cantorial/synagogue music) was the rage in the American Jewish community. In fact, there were celebrity chazanim…

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Adopting Moses

In honor of National Adoption Month, Jewish Treats pays tribute to Bithia, the daughter of Pharaoh, whose adoption of a baby in a basket changed the course of human history.…

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Hail to Brotherhood

In the earliest days of humankind, a man named Cain asked God the now famous question: “Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Genesis 4:9). Cain’s question was meant to be a distraction from the…

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