Tisha b’Av

This Wednesday night at sunset, the saddest day on the Jewish calendar begins. Known as the Fast of the 9th of Av (Tisha b’Av), the observances of Tisha b’Av are very similar to Yom…

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No Holiday as Joyous

Tu b’Av (The Fifteenth of Av), which is today, is no longer the well-known holiday on the Jewish calendar that it was in ancient times. In fact, the Talmud states that: “There were no…

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Kiss and Make Up

Today, August 25th, is the anonymously anointed “Kiss and Make Up Day.” These modern “holidays” have little historic meaning, but Jewish Treats would be remiss in not noting that the…

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Symbolic Foods

Since Rosh Hashana is the Day of Judgment, it is customary to eat simanim*, foods with symbolic meanings that invoke God’s blessing. We also recite a short prayer before eating them.…

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Whoever Is Wise

“Return, O Israel, for you have stumbled in your sin” (Hosea 14:2). Let’s face it, none of us really want to hear a fire-and-brimstone reproof of all of the things we’ve done wrong and…

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The Iron Curtain

On March 5, 1946, barely one year after the end of World War II, recently-defeated British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill, delivered a speech entitled, “Sinews of Peace” at…

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