Spin The Dreidel

I have a little dreidelI made it out of clayAnd when it’s dry and readyWith dreidel I shall play!The Dreidel is a four sided top, with a single Hebrew letter on each of its sides. Before…

Read More

Before Bagels On Broadway

There is no doubt that New York is home to the largest Jewish community outside of the State of Israel, with a population well over one million. But, who was New York’s first Jew? That…

Read More

From Midnight to Noon

Frank Sinatra famously sang that New York is a “city that never sleeps.” However, of all the sleepless nights, New Year’s Eve is Gotham’s most awake night, as tens of thousands often…

Read More

From Midnight to Noon

Frank Sinatra famously sang that New York is a “city that never sleeps.” However, of all the sleepless nights, New Year’s Eve is Gotham’s most awake night, as tens of thousands often…

Read More

Shemini 5778-2018

“Kashrut and Copepods” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Shemini, is one of two parshiyot (the other is Re’eh, Deuteronomy 14:3-21) that serve as the main sources…

Read More

Chayei Sarah 5779-2018

“Abraham’s Eulogy for His Beloved Sarah”   by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald   In this week’s parasha, parashat Chayei Sarah, we learn of the passing of the Matriarch, Sarah, at age…

Read More

Mikeitz 5774-2013

"What’s in a Name? Zaphenath-Paneach" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Mikeitz, Joseph interprets Pharaoh’s dream and is elevated to serve as viceroy of…

Read More

Shavuot 5770-2010

"The Gift that Keeps on Giving" by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald Because of the holiday, the theme of this Torah message concerns the festival of Shavuot, rather than the weekly Torah portion,…

Read More

Yiddish in Shanghai

During World War II, Japanese-occupied Shanghai, China, became a haven for Jewish refugees, most notably the students from the Mirrer Yeshiva. After the “Battle of Shanghai” in 1937, the…

Read More

Pinchas 5767-2007

"Rosh Chodesh, the Modest Holiday" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Parashat Pinchas opens with the Al-mighty praising Pinchas, grandson of Aaron the High Priest, for fatally stabbing Zimri,…

Read More