Painting Our People
Born on December 26, 1902, in Rahachow, Belarus (in the Pale of Settlement), Anatoli Lvovich Kaplan was a Jewish painter who celebrated his Jewish heritage and the Jewish world in his…
Never Again
Recent inflammatory statements and acts of antisemitism remind us of the words found in the Passover Haggadah: "In each generation there are those who rise to destroy Jews." It behooves…
Whosoever 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…
Kee Tavo 5782-2022
“Watch Out for Laban, He’s More Dangerous than Pharaoh!” (updated and revised from Kee Tavo 5763-2003) by, Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Parashat Kee Tavo is an “ominous” parasha. It is one…
Bnei Brak: A Unique City
In Israel, there are any number of towns that identify themselves as primarily religious. There are none, however, that are as distinct or well-known for being as intensely religious as…
Hold Onto Your Ballpoint
While it has become more common today to record your “to do” list on your smartphone, take a moment to marvel at the ingenuity of the ballpoint pen invented by Hungarian Jew, László Bíró,…
Lions and Jerusalem Day
The original city of Jerusalem, conquered by King David from the Jebusites, is now known as Ir David, situated in the Silwan neighborhood, south of the Temple Mount. Over time, Jerusalem…
Emor 5782-2022
“Priests and Death: An Unusual Relationship” (updated and revised from Emor 5765-2005) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Emor, continues the theme of holiness…
Remember
The Jewish nation has a long historical memory. Jewish history is replete with accounts of those who attacked Jews and Jewish communities, and the records of countless victims. On the…
Contemplate
As we commemorate today, on Yom Hashoah, Holocaust Memorial Day, the tragic events that befell European Jewry, remember, as we recited in the Haggadah during the Passover seder, that…