The Buttonwood Jews

On the 17th of May, 1792, 24 businessmen met under a buttonwood (sycamore) tree and made an agreement to deal only with one another and to set a .25% commission rate on all transactions.…

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Bereshith 5769-2008

"The Development of Civilization as Recorded in Genesis" by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald The Torah is not intended to serve as a history lesson or as a chronicle of the development of ancient…

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Observance and Prayer Outline

Passover Observanceand Prayer Outline The Seder night, when family and friends gather together to commemorate our redemption…

Vayikra 5773-2013

"Achieving Spiritual Ascendance Through Sacrifice" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Vayikra, is the opening Torah portion of the book of Leviticus. As the Latin…

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Bereshith 5774-2013

"Beginning at the Beginning–-Again" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald As we begin the study of the Torah once again, it seems appropriate to attempt to clarify the purpose of Torah study. The…

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Elegies (Kinnot)

An elegy is defined as a mournful poem or a lament. In Hebrew, an elegy is known as a kinna. On Tisha b’Av, when the Jewish people mourn the destruction of both the First and Second…

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Cooking to America

Lizzie Black Kander, who passed away on July 24, 1940, has been a household name for generations via the simple cookbook she created. The Settlement Cook Book (full title: The Way to a…

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Hearing About Huldah

Among the many prophets who predicted the destruction of Jerusalem, only one prophetess is recorded. Huldah was a descendent of Joshua and Rachav, as well as a cousin of the prophet…

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Elegies (Kinnot)

An elegy is defined as a mournful poem or a lament. In Hebrew, an elegy is known as a kinna. On Tisha b’Av, when the Jewish people mourn the destruction of both the First and Second…

Read More

Elegies (Kinnot)

An elegy is defined as a mournful poem or a lament. In Hebrew, an elegy is known as a kinna. On Tisha b’Av, when the Jewish people mourn the destruction of both the First and Second…

Read More