Jewish Treats

Is Sukkot Part of the High Holidays?

It is clear that during the Ten Days of Penitence, we are meant to be on a higher spiritual realm. We recite Psalm 47 seven times prior to blowing the shofar on Rosh Hashana, symbolizing…

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Bamidbar,Weekly Message

Bamidbar 5779-2019

“The Trials of Being a Public Figure” (Revised and updated from Bamidbar 5760-2000) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald   In this week’s parasha, parashat Bamidbar, we encounter a…

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Jewish Treats

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…

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Tzav,Weekly Message

Tzav 5779-2019

"Remembering Amalek: A Contemporary View” (Revised and updated from Tzav 5760-2000) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Rather than focus on this coming week’s parasha, parashat Tzav, I have…

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Jewish Treats

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…

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Weekly Message,Vayakhel

Vayakhel 5779-2019

"Jewish Women and Jewish Destiny" (Revised and updated from Vayakhel 5760-2000) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald The vast majority of this week’s parasha, parashat Vayakhel, deals with…

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Jewish Treats

Moses’ Mysterious and Mortal Maternity

Moses is arguably the central and most important figure in the Hebrew Bible. Maimonides advances that of the 55 Jewish prophets, Moses’ type of prophecy was quite different and far more…

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Jewish Treats

These Lights We Kindle

While the mitzvah of lighting the menorah is an outward-focused mitzvah - the menorah is lit in a window or doorway - it is also an opportunity for personal reflection on the deeper…

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Weekly Message,Bereshith

Bereshith 5779-2018

“Who was Enoch?” In this week’s parasha, parashat Bereishith, the Torah, in Genesis 5, lists the genealogy of humankind, enumerating the names of the ten generations of descendants from…

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Jewish Treats

Is Sukkot Part of the High Holidays?

It is clear that during the Ten Days of Penitence, we are meant to be on a higher spiritual realm. We recite Psalm 47 seven times prior to blowing the shofar on Rosh Hashana, symbolizing…

Read More