A Brief History of the Jews of Georgia
Located between Russia and Turkey, at the intersection of Europe and Asia, Georgia was, until the mid-1800s, a place of relatively little anti-Semitism. According to tradition, Jews first…
As the Wind Blows
The Torah is full of fascinating, unexpected and, some might say, poetic connections. Many of these associations are not obvious because they are spread throughout the many texts of…
A Man of His Own
One does not often hear of a decorated soldier from the United States army choosing to move to the German Democratic Party (East Germany under Communist rule). Stefan Heym, however, did…
The Star Symbol
Looking for a nice piece of Judaica? Why not go for something really Jewish, like a Star of David. This ancient symbol of Judaism is...well, actually, although the Star of David is a…
Kosher in Gracie Mansion
Although New York has one of the oldest Jewish communities in the United States (the first Jews arrived in 1654), the first openly Jewish mayor of New York City was not elected until…
Madagascar and the Jews
The island of Madagascar has never been the home to a formal Jewish community. There is no synagogue, nor any formal Jewish congregation. And yet, this island off the coast of Africa,…
The Tribe of Gad
As the ancestors of the tribes of Israel, the lives and personalities of each of the twelve sons of Jacob significantly impact on the history and behavior of the tribe members who…
The Yom Kippur War
It would be impossible in this format to provide a full history of the events that led to the outbreak of the Yom Kippur War. However, in honor of the cease-fire that ended the fighting…
The Star Symbol
Looking for a nice piece of Judaica? Why not go for something really Jewish, like a Star of David. This ancient symbol of Judaism is...well, actually, although the Star of David is a…
Sukkot 5781-2020
"I'm Dreaming of a Warm Sukkot" (updated and revised from Sukkot 5762-2001) by, Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald The joyous festival of Sukkot, which begins Friday evening, October 2nd,…