Mourning Jerusalem I: A Brief History of the First Temple
This coming Saturday night and Sunday, Jews the world over will be observing the fast of Tisha b’Av. It is on this day that the Jewish people mourn the destruction of both the First and…
Belarus, China, Jerusalem and Brooklyn: The Odyssey of the World’s Largest Yeshiva
For 125 years, from 1814 until 1939, the Mir Yeshiva served as a beacon of elite Torah study on the European continent. Situated in the small town of Mir in Belarus, the yeshiva was…
Fyvush
There are certain entertainers who are known by their first name, such as Matisyahu, Madonna, Cher, Eminem etc. Others are known by their first name, despite widespread knowledge of their…
A Pleasant Song Composed
The liturgy of the synagogue has developed over the span of Jewish history. Some parts of the service– such as the Shema, which is a recitation of Biblical text – originate from Judaism’s…
A Jar of Manna
As discussed in this coming week’s Torah Portion, parashat B’shalach, while the Israelites wandered in the wilderness, there were few things more miraculous than the manna, the food from…
Tu b’Shevat
While it may seem as if winter has just begun, it may be a good time to invoke a bit of optimism and look beyond the turbulent weather and remember that spring is just around the corner.…
Free To All
On June 30, 2008, the first Jewish Treat was published. There were fewer than 50 subscribers. Today, we are proud to say, that over 4,200 people receive Jewish Treats in their inboxes…
Fyvush
There are certain entertainers who are known by their first name, such as Matisyahu, Madonna, Cher, Eminem etc. Others are known by their first name, despite widespread knowledge of their…
Passover II 5782-2022
Passover II 5782-2022 “Counting the Omer” (Revised and updated from Passover II 5768-2008) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In parashat Emor, we learn of the mitzvah of counting the Omer. In…
People of the (Printed) Book
Johannes Gutenberg, credited as the developer of the printing press, published the Gutenberg Bible in 1445. Printing technology transformed the way people learned. International literacy…