Jewish Treats

Jews in Mauritius

In the Indian Ocean, just off the coast of Africa, is the island nation of Mauritius. Despite the general absence of Jews in Mauritius in the past, there is enough of a Jewish community…

Read More

Jewish Treats

Finally Buried

On the 4th of Adar 1307, corresponding to today’s Hebrew date, the Maharam of Rothenburg was buried in the Jewish cemetery in Worms, fourteen years after his death. The rabbi’s remains…

Read More

Jewish Treats

The Purim Story in Under 300 Words

At the end of an 180-day feast, Achashverosh, the King of Persia-Media, banished (some say, executed) his wife Vashti for refusing to appear at his banquet. He then staged an elaborate…

Read More

Jewish Treats

The History Around Purim

The story of Purim takes place at the very end of the era known in Jewish history as the Babylonian Exile. King Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian legions destroyed the Temple and…

Read More

Jewish Treats

The Fast of Esther

The Fast of Esther will be observed tomorrow, March 21st which coincides with the 11th of Adar on the Hebrew calendar. While the Fast of Esther is normally observed on the 13th of Adar,…

Read More

Jewish Treats

Who Was Mordechai?

There are some people in this world who always seem to be right in the thick of the action. As described in the Book of Esther, this was Mordechai. It is Mordechai’s cousin, Esther, who…

Read More

Jewish Treats

Purim Again?

Unique to the Jewish calendar, the festival of Purim is actually observed on different days depending on a person’s location. The majority of the Jewish people celebrate Purim on the 14th…

Read More

Jewish Treats

Navy Man

Jewish Treats presents a biography of Uriah P. Levy, the U.S.’s first Jewish commodore. Born in Philadelphia in 1792, Levy took to the seas early (some sources report that he was 10 and…

Read More

Jewish Treats

How Now, Red Cow

Every year, on the first or second Shabbat following Purim, a special reading from Numbers 19 is added to the regular Shabbat Torah reading. Known as “Parashat Parah,” the Torah reading…

Read More

Jewish Treats

Opening Day!

In honor of Opening Day for all of Major League’s Baseball teams today, Jewish Treats presents a look back at one of baseball’s greats and some of the Jewish lessons that may be derived…

Read More