The Kindness of Meah She’arim
On trips to Israel, many travel to the quaint Jerusalem neighborhood known as Meah She’arim. Meah She’arim is home of the Yerushalmi “ultra-Orthodox” community who seek insularity and…
Heightened Senses
It has always been noted that the Torah is unique by virtue of the very human terms with which it describes its great heroes. Even the patriarchs and matriarchs are not presented as…
Vayeira 5762-2001
"The Akeida" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald After four years of preparing d'vrei Torah on the weekly parasha, I've finally decided to bite the bullet and discuss the challenging issue of…
Toledot 5780-2019
“A Lesson from Jacob and Esau: Understanding and Accepting Differences” (Updated and revised from Toledot 5760-1999) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha,…
Jews and 2020
On Rosh Hashana eve 2007, late night comic, David Letterman, quipped, “It’s Rosh Hashana, the Jewish new year 5768, and I’m still writing 5767 on my checks.” As Jews worldwide woke up…
A Singer whose Voice was a Pen
On November 21, 1902, a baby was born in Leoncin, Poland, who would succeed, through his pen, to help posterity understand the Jewish “Shtetl” experience in Eastern Europe. Isaac Hersh…
Australian Pride
Among the Australian Jewish community, Sir Isaac Isaacs (1855-1948) was a man who was often far more admired than he was liked. In his retirement, after a long and illustrious political…
Abraham’s Other Sons
Quick quiz: Who were Abraham’s sons? Most people probably answered Isaac, and, of course, they are correct. Others might have said Ishmael, and they are also right. Few people, however,…
Vayeira 5782-2021
“The Akeida” (updated and revised from Vayeira 5762-2001) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald It took quite a few years of preparing weekly Torah messages for me to work up the courage to…
Toledot 5760-1999
"A Lesson from Jacob and Esau: Understanding and Accepting Differences" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this coming week's parasha, parashat Toledot, we find some of the most fascinating…