Hear O Israel
In this week’s Torah portion, Va’etchanan, we read the famous words of the Shema: “Hear O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is one!” Articulate it please! Say it out loud – slowly,…
Midwestern Sour Cream
There are a host of Jewish foods that are associated with the American Jewish experience. Most of these, such as blintzes with sour cream, sour cream and bananas, and (of course)…
Justice, Justice Shall You Pursue
The directive to create a judicial system is set out in this week’s Torah portion, Shoftim, in Deuteronomy 16:18-20. God commands the Israelites to appoint judges and law enforcement…
Burying The Dead
An unusually large body of Jewish law is concerned with interpersonal relationships, teaching how to properly respect each person, since all of humankind is created b’tzelem Eh-lokim, in…
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 Three Mitzvot of Sarah
Jokes about dominant Jewish mothers are abundant and frequent. Perhaps this is because, historically, Jewish mothers have been responsible for building the foundation for passionate…
Isaac, Son of Abraham
Born to aged parents (Sarah was 90, Abraham was 100), Isaac was Abraham’s sole heir. This meant more than inheriting his wealth, it meant becoming the leading advocate of monotheism.…
Albania and the Jews
Albania, which today marks its Independence Day, is a small Balkan country with an almost minute Jewish population. While it was never a country with a large Jewish population, there have…