Jewish Treats

The Book of Lamentations

On Tisha b’Av, the ninth of Av, one of the ways that the Jewish people demonstrate their mourning over the loss of both Holy Temples is by refraining from Torah study that brings pleasure…

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Jewish Treats

A Whispered Line

The Shema is both a prayer and a statement of the most fundamental aspect of Jewish theology: God’s oneness. The words of the first line of the Shema are found in this week’s Torah…

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Jewish Treats

Splitting the Atom

When asked to name a theoretical physicist, the first name to come to many young Americans would be “Sheldon Cooper,” the fictional lead character on the former hit show, “The Big Bang…

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Jewish Treats

Tu b’Av and the Offering of Wood

Tu b’Av, the fifteenth of Av, which is today, was celebrated in ancient times by unmarried maidens who went out on this day to dance in the vineyards hoping to be chosen by an unmarried…

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Jewish Treats

Good Thinking

Appreciate the ingenuity of those Jews who used wood ladders as a ruse in order to transfer wood to the Temple to be used on the altar for the sacrifices. The Temple in Jerusalem…

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Jewish Treats

Fyvush

There are certain entertainers who are known by their first name, such as Matisyahu, Madonna, Cher, Eminem etc. Others are known by their first name, despite widespread knowledge of their…

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Jewish Treats

Using A Live Virus

Mention the polio vaccine and most people think of Jonas Salk. The fact is, however, that the polio vaccine used today is actually based on the work of another Jewish physician, Albert…

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Jewish Treats

An Interesting Philologist

Language is considered to be one of the unique characteristics of humankind. Lazarus (Eliezer Solomon) Geiger, who is recognized as one of the pre-eminent philologists of his time, made…

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Jewish Treats

Forgiveness: An Elul Treat

Many feel that the three hardest words to say, in any language are: “I am sorry.” Yet, we all know how very important those words are. Indeed, a person saying they are sorry, or at least…

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Jewish Treats

“And Now Let Us Say Amen…”

The word “Amen” seems to be one of those words associated with prayer throughout the Judeo-Christian culture, but what does it mean? The response "Amen" at the end of an oath or a prayer…

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