Humble Bee
February 22nd has been declared “Be Humble Day,” a “holiday” that most likely originated from the online greeting card industry. Nevertheless, a day dedicated to the importance of being…
Live Long And Prosper
Every “Trekkie” knows that Spock’s Vulcan salutation is accompanied by a strange hand gesture. What many don’t realize is that Leonard Nimoy who played Spock, borrowed this symbol from…
A Taste of Shakespeare
Yiddish theater, which saw its heyday in the early decades of the twentieth century, played an important role in the lives of the American Jewish community. More than just entertainment…
The Origins of Formal Jewish Education in the United States
Today, thankfully, there are hundreds of Jewish elementary schools in the United States that teach both Judaic and general studies. The paradigm for this movement was the founding of…
The Second Passover
On the first anniversary of the Exodus from Egypt, the Children of Israel prepared to celebrate their first Passover as free people. God decreed that they should eat matzah and maror…
Sustenance and Beauty
Cosmetics have been a part of civilization since…well, research cannot pinpoint where or when people started using products to paint their faces or subtly alter their appearances, but its…
The Truth About Mitzvot
It is recorded in the Midrash Rabbah that Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai was once confronted by a man who challenged him about the purifying ritual of the Red Heifer (click here for details)…
Chukat-Balak 5783-2023
"How to Market G-d!" (updated and revised from Chukat-Balak 5763-2003) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In the first of this week’s parashiot, parashat Chukat, the Israelites, who are soon to…
Free To All
On June 30, 2008, the first Jewish Treat was published. There were fewer than 50 subscribers. Today, we are proud to say, that over 4,400 people receive Jewish Treats in their inboxes…
Immersing the Vessels
When shopping for common kitchen items, one typically does not ask the sales clerk, “Who manufactured them?” But, this information determines whether or not one must fulfill the mitzvah…