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.…
Mother Rachel
The patriarch Jacob had four wives (all at the same time): Leah and Rachel and their handmaidens, Bilha and Zilpah. Rachel, however, was the wife that Jacob truly loved. In this week's…
Dinah, The Daughter of Jacob
Dinah, the seventh and youngest child of Leah and Jacob, was born the same year as her half-brother Joseph. In fact, the Talmud (Brachot 60a) notes that Leah specifically prayed for her…
Twice To The Grave?
What happens when a final "resting place" isn’t so final? In our modern era of perpetual development and expanding cities, it is not unheard of for there to be requests to relocate entire…
Do Your Research
Before considering exhuming the remains of a deceased family member and reinternment to a different cemetery, be sure to consult your rabbi for specific guidance how to proceed. Many…
Justice and Ambassador
On August 8, 1908, Rebecca and Joseph Goldberg were blessed with their eighth child, whom they named Arthur. As the youngest in the family, Arthur was the only Goldberg who was not forced…
Calligraphy
In honor of National Handwriting Day, which is today, Jewish Treats explores the unique calligraphy practiced by a Jewish sofer (scribe). The Hebrew letters used in a Torah scroll, as…
West Point
In 2015, the Jewish news media delightedly reported that Rachelle David was the first female graduate of an Orthodox Jewish high school to be accepted to West Point. It is a…
Tripping the Vision Impaired
Parashat Kedoshim, the second of the two Torah portions (Acharei Mot-Kedoshim) that will be read this Shabbat, contains a total of 51 mitzvot. One of those mitzvot pertains to the…