Green Cheesecake At Midnight
The holiday of Shavuot has three well-known, and well-loved, customs: Decorating our Homes and Synagogues with Plants and Flowers: According to the Midrash, at the time of the…
The First Ten
If the children of Israel received the Torah at Mount Sinai, why did Moses come down bearing only “the two tablets of the testimony” luchot ha’aidoot (Exodus 32:15), on…
Bowing Down
Because it was customary for idol worshippers to bow fully to the ground before their idols, Jews refrain from bowing down (with the exception being during the Yom Kippur service).…
A Rabbi in Mexico
Mexico does not have a particularly long Jewish history due to the presence of the Inquisition, and its lingering influence. Today’s Mexican Jews are, in great part, the families of…
The Tale of Tel Aviv
In honor or Yom Ha’atzmaut, Israel’s Independence Day, Jewish Treats presents a very brief history of a very well-known city: Tel Aviv. Known as the first all-Jewish city of modern times,…
Purim’s Villainess
Anyone familiar with the basic Purim story knows that the primary enemy of the Jewish people was Haman. What may not be as well-known is that there are several other…
Say It with Satire
Politicians - love them or hate them, they have been inescapable over the last several months. There are many ways to stay on top of the latest political news, but perhaps the most…
The Challenge of Fitting
The weekly Torah reading of Mikeitz (Genesis 41:1-44:17), which almost always coincides with Chanukah, tells the story of the rise of Joseph, the son of Jacob, from slave to…
The Jews of Ecuador
While Ecuador does not have a large Jewish population, (there are fewer than 400 active members of the community), its history mirrors that of many South American and Central American…
Chastisement with Love
“Reprove a wise man, and he will love you” (Proverbs 9:8). Not too many people respond to criticism with increased affection. Even when it comes from someone whom they know has the best…