American Archivist

Selma Stern-Taeubler (1890-1981) was a natural achiever. Not only was this doctor’s daughter the first woman to be accepted to Baden-Baden’s Gymnasium in Germany, she even graduated from…

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Korach 5775-2015

“The Devastating Impact of Dispute” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Korach, we read of the rebellion of Korach and his cohorts against Moses, Aaron and G-d.…

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The Mother of Women’s Basketball

Did you know that the mother of women’s basketball was Jewish? Senda Berenson revolutionized women’s athletics. Ironically, Berenson,* who was born on March 19, 1868, in Vilna, was a…

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The Little Terror

While some athletes are known to be Jewish only because of their Jewish-sounding last names, others wear their Jewish identity on their shirtsleeves - or, in the case of Alphonse Halimi,…

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The Second President

Yitzchak Ben-Zvi, the second President of the State of Israel, was born on November 24, 1884 in Poltava, Ukraine.  After participating in the Jewish self-defense units organized…

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The First Rabbi In America

The first ordained rabbi to serve in an American congregation was Rabbi Abraham Joseph Rice (originally Reiss, 1802-1862). After studying in Germany, in Wurtzburg and then Fuerth, Rice…

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Kee Tisah 5773-2013

"The Vengeful G-d--Revisited" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Kee Tisah, we read of the grave sin of the Golden Calf, a trespass that, despite the…

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Chaim Weizmann

Many of the greatest names in Israeli history belong to leaders of military battles and to eloquent spokespersons who rallied the Jewish people to fight for a modern homeland. Chaim…

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Judaism vs. Hellenism

Judaism vs. Hellenism Why did the interaction of the Greeks and the Jews create such problems? What was there about Hellenism…

Vayigash 5770-2009

"How Much is Enough?" by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald In this week's parasha, parashat Vayigash, Joseph dramatically reveals himself to his brothers and instructs them to bring his father…

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