The Great Shabbat

The Shabbat immediately preceding Passover is known as Shabbat HaGadol, the Great Shabbat. It is best known for being the Shabbat on which the rabbi of the community (or another leading…

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Make it a “Great Shabbat”

Celebrate Shabbat HaGadol by learning more about Passover traditions and rituals. To understand in broader terms how Shabbat HaGadol got its name, and to better appreciate the…

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Great Scots

The story of the great masses of Eastern European Jews who arrived in New York and settled on the Lower East Side of Manhattan is more than simply conventional history. It is now regarded…

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The Birth and Death of Moses

One of the 13 principles of faith according to Maimonides is believing that Moses was the greatest of all the Jewish prophets. He was so great, that God feared he would be worshipped…

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Great Jewish Scholars

Study the history of great Jewish scholars, who, throughout the generations, have served as spiritual leaders guiding the Jewish community.

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Blessed Is He Who Makes Strange Creatures

An individual might not think that Jewish Treats would have much to say about “Peculiar People Day,” as January 10th has been dubbed by those who create new holidays. However, the sages…

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The Great Hoshana (Hoshana Rabbah)

Rosh Hashana is known as the Day of Judgment (Yom Hadin), the day on which God judges every person. Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is the day on which God finalizes His verdict on the…

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The Yiddish Theatre

Learn about the Yiddish theatre which was a staple of the Jewish immigrant experience in the early years of the 20th century.

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Treat with Dignity

On International Widows Day, be especially careful to adhere to the Torah’s admonition to not cause pain to the widow (Exodus 22:21).

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Eat Your Vegetables

In Pirkei Avot (Ethics of the Fathers 3:21), the sages declare that without flour, there can be no Torah. In Jewish texts, “flour,” meaning bread, often refers to material sustenance.…

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