Vayishlach 5779-2018
“Jacob’s Challenging Life” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald As this week’s parasha, parashat Vayishlach, opens, we find a fearful patriarch Jacob sending a huge tribute of flocks and…
Chayei Sarah 5770-2009
"The Willing Bride" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week's parasha, parashat Chayei Sarah, the wondrous story unfolds of Rebecca's selection to be the wife of Isaac and, ultimately,…
Filene’s Credit Union
On June 26, 1934, Congress passed the Federal Credit Union Act, allowing for the creation of what is now known as CUNA (Credit Union National Association). Credit unions provide a safe…
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,…
The Crown of Israel’s Jezreel Valley
Today the city of Afula, with a population of 49,000, sits as the crown and virtual capital of the Jezreel Valley in north-central Israel. Many identify modern day Afula with the…
North Star State’s First Jewish Senator
Rudolph Ely Boschwitz was born on November 7, 1930 in Berlin, Germany to his Jewish parents Lucy (Dawidowicz) and Eli. When he was 3, coinciding with Hitler’s rise to power, the Boschwitz…
The Torah’s Special Genetic Code
During Biblical times, our ancestors did not understand genetics, DNA codes, chromosomes and the transmission of physical attributes, as we understand them today. While the sages do note…
Sign Up for Role Modeling
Jewish Treats has addressed the issue of Arei Miklat, cities of refuge, in prior Treats. The cities of refuge were intended for individuals who accidentally killed another person. The…
Mezuzah: Complete Fulfillment
A mezuzah on the doorpost is a public sign of a Jewish home. If you open the decorative container of the mezuzah you will find a piece of parchment with two sets of Hebrew verses from…
Filene’s Credit Union
On June 26, 1934, Congress passed the Federal Credit Union Act, allowing for the creation of what is now known as CUNA (Credit Union National Association). While there were many factors…