For Your Eyes Only
Did you know that according to the U.S. Postal Service, willfully and knowingly reading someone else's mail is a federal offense. That’s right, even that department store bill addressed…
Situation in the Suez
The Suez Canal, which connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea, and thus to the Indian Ocean, was built in the 1860s through a French-Egyptian partnership. In 1875, debt forced the…
One Book At A Time
Those who choose to go (or go back) to college at a more mature age will testify that it is not a simple decision. Beyond the financial and logistical considerations, many find the idea…
Waterloo Waterlooplein
On June 18, 1815, Napoleon and his armies were defeated by the Seventh Coalition, an alliance of British and European forces. It was the end of Napoleon’s march across Europe. It was also…
Controlling Urban Sprawl
Urban sprawl is one of the prominent contemporary environmental concerns. It is, understandably, a modern issue that started at the time of the industrial revolution. Oddly enough,…
The Ghetto Of Venice
The Jewish ghetto of Venice, made famous in William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice ( “Shylock” ), was actually the very first “ghetto.” That does not mean that when the Venetian…
The Torah Service
The Torah Service is central to the Saturday morning synagogue service and has much ceremony and fanfare. It begins with the opening of the aron ha’kodesh (holy ark - the cabinet housing…
For Your Eyes Only
Did you know that according to the U.S. Postal Service, willfully and knowingly reading someone else's mail is a Federal offense. That’s right, even that department store bill addressed…
Yom Kippur 5781-2020
“The Thrill of Coming Home” (updated and revised from Yom Kippur 5761-2000) by, Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald There are certain times in the Jewish calendar that are regarded as propitious…
A Day that will Live in Infamy
In one of the 20th century's most memorable and impactful speeches, U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt called December 7, 1941, “A day that will live in infamy,” due to the deadly…