Touchy About Touching
It has been said that the custom of shaking hands originated as a means of demonstrating that one is not concealing any weapons. While most people no longer worry about their…
The Flying Rabbi
On October 24, 2011, a memorial to the Jewish chaplains of the United States Armed Services was dedicated in Arlington National Cemetery. The 14 Jewish chaplains whose names were…
Pure Olive Oil
While a large number of Jews today light Chanukah candles, the more traditional custom is to light the Chanukah menorah with olive oil. This is done in order to most accurately recreate…
Rabbi Aharon Kotler
Rabbi Aharon Kotler, whose 50th yahrtzeit is today, arrived in the United States in 1941. The Va'ad Hatzalah brought Rabbi Kotler out of Nazi controlled Europe, where he had been a highly…
The Mother of Modern Swimming
In 1920, at age 35, Charlotte Epstein was not a contender for an Olympic medal in Antwerp, but she was, in many ways, the hero of women’s swimming. Born in 1884 in New York City, "Eppy,"…
Sustainable Living
In Rio this week, politicians and activists from around the world are meeting at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development. The Torah has always been concerned with the…
Resurrection of the Dead
It is required by Jewish law that the body of one who has passed away be buried as quickly and as completely as possible, meaning that the entire body (or as much of the remains as…
Thou Shalt Take A Surname
Goldberg, Rosenstein, Feldman...typical Jewish Ashkenazi names. Historically, however, until the early Industrial era, Jews were generally known by a patronymical : Rabbi Shimon ben (son…
The Orchard
The Talmud (Chagiga 14b) tells the story of four rabbis who entered the Pardes (literally, the orchard), which is understood to be a metaphor for entering heaven through intense…
Kiddush Wine
Kiddush is one of the primary components of the commandment to “Remember the Sabbath Day” (Za'chor et Yom Ha'Shabbat- Exodus 20:8), which is the “umbrella” commandment for all of the…