Shoftim 5777-2017
“Judaism and the Principle of the Sanctity of Human Life” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Shoftim, focuses, for the most part, on the principle of the…
Yom Kippur 5778-2017
According to tradition, the Torah was given to the People of Israel at Mount Sinai in the Hebrew year 2448 (1312 BCE), on the sixth day of the Hebrew month of Sivan. On the seventh day of…
The Royal Family and the Jews
On February 6, 1952, Queen Elizabeth II assumed the throne of “the United Kingdom and her other realms and Territories” upon the death of her father, King George VI. While the Queen is…
Jews Paak their Caaahs As Well!
Aside from having one of the most difficult names to spell, the state of Massachusetts is known for its rich history, serving as a main catalyst for the Revolutionary War, the founding of…
Florence
Florence, Italy, purports to be one of the oldest Jewish communities in Europe, dating back to at least 1159, when Benjamin of Tudela wrote of his visit to Florence, capital of the…
Birthday of the World
According to Jewish tradition, this Wednesday night, when Rosh Hashana begins, the world will be 5778 years old. This claim easily stirs up sharp debate. How, it is often asked, can one…
A Community Revealed
In 1492, four families in Belmonte, Portugal began to live secret lives that would last for generations. Like many Jews on the Iberian Peninsula, in response to the Inquisition, which…
Birthday of the World
According to Jewish tradition, this Sunday night, when Rosh Hashana begins, the world will be 5776 years old. This claim easily stirs up sharp debate. How, it is often asked, can one say…
Success After Exile
When King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella expelled the Jews from Spain in 1492, Rabbi David ben Solomon ibn (Abi) Zimra (known as the RaDBaZ, his initials) was 13 years old. His family…