Jewish Treats

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…

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Jewish Treats

Why is Jerusalem Not Mentioned in the Torah?

In the first aliyah of parashat Re’eh, the Torah mentions 16 times an unknown place where God will choose to rest His Presence. Now, thousands of years later, we know that place to be the…

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Jewish Treats

Mosquitoes No More

There are few insects as disliked as the mosquito. When people wonder about the purpose of annoying bugs, the mosquito is the first one whose existence they question. (As a point of…

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Jewish Treats

The Story of Chanukah

Around the year 167 B.C.E., the Syrian-Greek rulers of Judea tried to force the Jews to assimilate into Hellenic culture. They summoned the Jews to the town squares where they were forced…

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Jewish Treats

On the 25th of Kislev

It is not uncommon to find that significant events in Jewish history occurred in different years but on the same day on the Jewish calendar. For instance, Tisha b’Av (9th of Av), the day…

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Jewish Treats

The Fast of the Fifth of Tevet

Aside from Yom Kippur, which is mentioned in the Torah, all the other fasts on the Jewish calendar are Rabbinic in nature and find their rabbinic source in a single Scriptural verse:…

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Jewish Treats

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…

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Jewish Treats

Who Was Mordechai?

There are some people in this world who always seem to be right in the thick of the action. As described in the Book of Esther, this was Mordechai. It is Mordechai’s cousin who is chosen…

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Jewish Treats

Biur – Burning

Bedikat Chametz, the search for chametz takes place tonight, Tuesday night. The home is thoroughly searched for any remaining chametz. The chametz found is then set aside to be burned in…

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Jewish Treats

The Great Sea Monster

In honor of World Ocean Day, we present a treat about the Great Sea Monster. For most of history, sea monsters were considered among the greatest perils of sea travel. Most probably, the…

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