Jewish Work in Diabetes
Today is World Diabetes Day. Not so long ago, diabetes was often thought of as a “Jewish disease.” This was before doctors and scientists understood genetics. The idea of diabetes as a…
The Bird of Thanks
On Thanksgiving Day, it is customary in the United States to eat a turkey dinner. The Hebrew name for turkey is “tar’negol hodu,” literally, an “Indian Rooster.” It came by this name…
Albania and the Jews
Albania, which today marks its Independence Day, is a small Balkan country with an almost minute Jewish population. While it was never a country with a large Jewish population, there have…
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…
Giving Gifts
“A person who is diligent in lighting Chanukah candles will have children who are scholars” (Talmud Shabbat 23b). The desire for scholarly children was actually one of the motivations for…
Blessed Is He Who Makes Strange Creatures
An individual might not think that Jewish Treats would have much to say about “Peculiar People Day,” as January 10th has been dubbed by those who create new holidays. However, the sages…
Hardened Hearts of a Leader
Upon the death of North Korea’s Kim Jong-Il twelve years ago, the press rehashed what was known about the repressive regime, certainly causing many to wonder how any leader could cause…
Honoring King
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is celebrated today. “The Hebrew prophets belong to all people because their concepts of justice and equality have become ideals for all races and…
Warsaw Ghetto Uprising
The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, which is famous for its month-long resistance struggle against the powerful Germans in April/May of 1943, actually began with an initial uprising on January…
Celebrating with a Parade
Name a Jewish celebration, that is not a wedding, but includes a chuppah, music and dancing. The answer is a Hachnassat Sefer Torah, literally “Welcoming the Torah Scroll,” the ceremony…