Sponsoring Columbus
Queen Isabella of Castile and King Ferdinand of Aragon are, without question, the most famous monarchs in Spanish history. They were the sponsors of Christopher Columbus’ famous journey…
A Dictionary for the Days of Awe
In Maimonides’ Laws of Repentance, he invokes five important and pertinent terms in his first paragraph, that are worth defining. Teshuva – means return (click here to the week before),…
The Workmen’s Circle
One probably associates Yiddish with a language spoken by East European immigrants to the United States in the early decades of the 20th century, and the lingua franca of insular…
Harari. Michael Harari
Most people have never heard the name Michael “Mike” Harari. Given his vocation, he probably would approve of his anonymity. Born in Tel Aviv, Michael Harari (1927-2014), enlisted in the…
The Month of Av
The months of the Jewish year are called in the Torah by number only (the first month, second month, etc.) Over time, during the exile, the months assumed the names given to them by…
Out To Sea
In honor of International Seafarers Day, Jewish Treats presents a brief look at seafaring in the biblical canon. The patriarchs and matriarchs were total “landlubbers.” In fact, the…
No Refuge in Alaska
Purchased from the Russian Empire in 1867, the territory of Alaska was the United States’ “Last Frontier.” Following its 1899 gold rush, which helped lay the foundation of Alaskan…
Cover Your Ears
Understanding proper speech, according to Jewish tradition, is critical to one’s personal development. Proper speech does not refer to manners or etiquette, but rather to avoiding a broad…
A New Martial Art
In his youth, Imri "Imi" Lichtenfeld (1910 - 1998) was a successful boxer, wrestler, gymnast and all-around athlete. He had inherited his physical prowess from his father, Samuel, a…
Carrying On Shabbat
The last of the 39 melachot* (creative works prohibited on Shabbat) is that of carrying between a private and a public space. How is carrying a creative work? The…