Kee Tisah 5775-2015
“Aaron, What Did This People Do To You?” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Kee Tisah, we, once again, encounter the tragic saga of the Children of Israel’s…
Tetzaveh/Purim 5777-2017
“Transformations" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Almost half of this week’s entire parasha, fully 43 verses of parashat Tetzaveh, are devoted to the detailed description of the priestly…
Kee Tisah 5778-2018
Safeguarding the Covenant by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week's parasha, parashat Kee Tisah, focuses primarily on the sin of the Golden Calf and Moses' successful invocation of…
Kee Tisah 5780-2020
“The Levites and the Golden Calf: Transcending One’s Own Nature” (Updated and revised from Kee Tisah 5761-2001) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat…
Falafel Day
What tasty food is made out of crushed chickpeas, often served with salads, and offers itself as a healthier snack alternative? You guessed it: Falafel. Happy International Falafel Day!…
When Adar Begins
The month of Adar begins today. About Adar, the twelfth month of the Jewish calendar year, the Talmud (Ta’anith 29a) states: “Mee'sheh'nichnas Adar, marbin b'simchah," With…
The Children of the Children of Israel
April 2nd, the birthday of the famed Danish author of children’s books, Hans Christian Andersen, who was born on that date in 1805, is celebrated as International Children’s Book Day. The…
Purim Story 2.0: the First Jewish Defense Outside of Israel
The Scriptural story how Queen Esther saved the Jews of the Persian Empire is one of the greatest and most exciting stories ever told. Jews worldwide celebrate the festival of Purim…
The Purim Commitment
What does the holiday of Purim have to do with Jews reconnecting to their Jewish heritage? Purim is more than a celebration of the victory of the Jews over an enemy who wished to…
More Purims in Adar?
The holiday of Purim that we celebrated last week is a world-wide holiday commemorating the redemption of the Jews of the Persian Empire from the threat of decimation at the hands of…