For the New Month
As both tonight, the last night of the month of Shevat, and tomorrow night, the first night of Adar I, are treated as Rosh Chodesh, prepare something special for dinner to mark the…
Spin the Dreidel
I have a little dreidel I made it out of clay And when it’s dry and ready With dreidel I shall play! The dreidel is a four sided top, with a single Hebrew letter on each of its sides.…
Shemini 5778-2018
“Kashrut and Copepods” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Shemini, is one of two parshiyot (the other is Re’eh, Deuteronomy 14:3-21) that serve as the main sources…
Before Bagels On Broadway
During the 2016 election, a presidential candidate uttered the words, “New York values,” and was accused of referring pejoratively to New York Jews. Of course, he denied the allegation.…
A History of Religious Freedom in North America
On September 12, 1695, the small Jewish community of what would become New York City, petitioned Governor Thomas Dongan for the right to exercise their religion in public. Because of the…
Evacuation Day
In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln called upon the American people to celebrate a day of Thanksgiving on the last Thursday of November. In New York, however, there was already a holiday…
Chanukah Blessings
On the first night of Chanukah, one candle/light is placed on the far right of the menorah. Each succeeding night, one candle/light is added to the left of the previous night's…
Before Bagels On Broadway
There is no doubt that New York is home to the largest Jewish community outside of the State of Israel, with a population well over one million. But, who was New York’s first Jew? That…
Tzav 5776-2016
“Dressing Properly for Special Occasions” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Tzav, opens with detailed instructions to the Kohanim, the priests, regarding taking…