Legal to Take?
With all the discussion during the last few years, about the legalization of marijuana, one might have wondered what is the traditional Jewish perspective regarding its use. It is, not…
President Grover Cleveland
President Grover Cleveland, the only U.S. president to have served in two non-consecutive terms, was one of two Democrats (the other being Woodrow Wilson) to have served as president…
Inauguration Oil
Elected U.S. presidents are inaugurated on January 20th. But, it wasn’t always that way. The Congress of the Confederation set March 4, 1789, as the date for “commencing proceedings” of…
Jews in the Fold
Yesterday, November 11th, was celebrated internationally as National Origami Day. Origami is a compound Japanese term: ori means folding and kami means paper. Origami was created in the…
The Sino-Jewish Axis
During Associate U.S. Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan’s 2010 confirmation hearings, she was asked where she had spent the previous Christmas. With a broad smile, Ms. Kagan responded,…
Holy Water
There are so many unique components to Jerusalem. Its holiness is celebrated by multiple religions. However, one primary difference between Jerusalem and other ancient cities is that it…
Jews in the Land of Lincoln
The first known Jewish resident of what is now the state of Illinois was John Hays, a grandson of a New York Jew, who moved west to Cahokia in 1793. Hays was a farmer and trader, who, in…
God and Thanksgiving
Most people correctly associate Thanksgiving with the Pilgrims, Plymouth and the Native Americans with whom the Pilgrims shared a community. Yet, the original Thanksgiving in the United…
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…
Goshen, Egypt
After recording the dramatic rendezvous between Joseph and his brothers, Jacob’s move to Egypt and Joseph’s brilliant economic plan, the very last verse in parashat Vayigash records the…