Who Was Rabbi Akiva?
Akiva ben Yosef was once an ignorant and illiterate shepherd. So poor and downtrodden a figure was Akiva that his extremely wealthy father-in-law disinherited his own daughter, Rachel,…
Protecting Widows
Today, June 23rd is the official date recognized by the United Nations as International Widows Day. The day was first observed in 2005, and, in 2010, it was ratified by the U.N. to…
Tithe Means Tenth
Ideally, people would have no qualms about supporting those in need. The Torah, however, recognized that charity is not necessarily a person’s first instinct and therefore specifies a…
Israel’s Beloved Ofra
If one mentions the name Ofra Haza to Israelis of a certain age, you will likely see a smile followed by a look of sadness. Ofra was the darling of Israel, with a voice from the heavens,…
Mishpatim 5782-2022
“Justice! Justice!” (updated and revised from Mishpatim 5763-2003) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Mishpatim, contains an abundance of laws that cover a vast…
The Mother of Women’s Basketball
As today is International Women’s Day, Jewish Treats highlights some of the many accomplishments of Senda Berenson, the mother of women’s basketball, who revolutionized women’s athletics.…
The Purim Story in Under 300 Words
At the end of a 180-day feast, the King of Persia-Medea, Achashverosh, banished (some say, executed) his wife, Vashti, for refusing to appear at his banquet. He then staged an elaborate…
Acharei Mot 5782-2022
“The Jewish Method of Achieving Moral Perfection” (Updated and revised from Acharei Mot 5763-2003) by, Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Acharei Mot, we read one…
A Sephardi Gaon
Because of the dedication of Rabbi Ezra Attiya (1885-1969), known as a Gaon, a great Torah scholar, hundreds of Sephardic Jews chose to extend their education, scores decided to dedicate…
Protecting Widows
Today, June 23rd is the official date recognized by the United Nations as International Widows Day. The day was first observed in 2005, and, in 2010, it was ratified by the U.N. to…