His Tricks Were Quite A Treat
It is commonly acknowledged that the magician and escape artist Harry Houdini (1874-1926) set the standard for all performing magicians to come. Many people are also aware of the fact…
Kristallnacht
Kristallnacht, literally the Night of Crystal, but generally translated as the Night of Broken Glass, was a tragic turning point in the fate of Germany’s Jewish community. The…
The Thanksgiving Synagogue Service
While Thanksgiving is most certainly an American festival of gratitude, its founders prominently articulated its religious underpinnings, which ultimately find their source in Judaism.…
Under Cover of Darkness
Of the ten plagues that devastated the land of Egypt, the plague of darkness appears to be the most benign. Certainly, being trapped in the dark is frightening (sensory deprivation is a…
Vayakhel-Pekudei 5783-2023
“Celebrating the Month of Nissan” (updated and revised from Vayakhel-Pekudei 5764-2004) by, Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This coming Shabbat, the final Shabbat of the Hebrew month of…
The Passover Story in Brief
On Passover, we commemorate the exodus from Egyptian slavery. The following is a brief summary: Jacob’s family came to Egypt to escape a famine in Canaan. Joseph, Jacob’s son who had…
The Great Shabbat
The Shabbat immediately preceding Passover is known as Shabbat HaGadol, the Great Shabbat. It is best known for being the Shabbat on which the rabbi of the community (or another leading…
Make it a “Great Shabbat”
Celebrate Shabbat Hagadol by learning more about Passover traditions and rituals. On this Shabbat HaGadol, the Haftarah, drawn from the final book of the prophets, Malachi describes that…
Setting the Seder Table
Before beginning the seder this Wednesday night, it is important to make certain that everything necessary is available. No seder table is complete without the following: 1) Three…
Searching for Chametz
On Passover, Jews are commanded to get rid of all “chametz” (leaven) which may be in their possession. It is not unusual to begin cleaning and scrubbing the home weeks before the holiday.…