Terumah 5762-2002
"The Centrality of Torah" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this coming week's Torah portion, parashat Terumah, G-d speaks to Moshe and instructs him to build for Him a sanctuary, so that…
Tetzaveh 5767-2007
"Details, Details and More Details" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Parashat Tetzaveh continues the Torah's focus on the innumerable details of the Mishkan--the portable Tabernacle that…
Vayakhel 5768-2008
"Rochel the Riveter" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week's parasha, parashat Vayakhel, continues the excruciatingly detailed description of the building of the Tabernacle and its…
Vayakhel 5774-2014
“Lip Service is Hardly Enough” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Vayakhel, the people of Israel deliver their abundant contributions to be used in constructing…
Terumah 5780-2020
“The Centrality of Torah” (updated and revised from Terumah 5762-2002) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s Torah portion, parashat Terumah, G-d speaks to Moses and instructs him…
The Rise of Phoenix
The settlement of the Arizona territory, followed the California Gold Rush of 1848-1850. When gold was found in Arizona, many people moved there from 1862 to 1864, including many Jewish…
Jews in Christchurch?
When one thinks of the far reaches of the globe, New Zealand should obviously come to mind. What people may not know is that over 6,800 Jews live in New Zealand today, mostly in Auckland…
No Chance to Compete
The International Olympics were conceived as a competition meant to foster peace and comradery. Alas, that lovely ideal has often been too difficult for people to live up to. One…
Hail the Holy Pomegranate
The Pomegranate is a funny sort of fruit. Rather than eating the flesh and throwing away the seed, as one does when eating an apple or orange, pomegranate seeds are eaten and the flesh…
Coming to California
When we think of California today, we think of perfect weather, beautiful beaches and Hollywood stars. Before these modern dreams, however, California was a land of wild settlers who had…