Four Cups of Wine
Like almost all festival meals, the Passover seder begins with Kiddush, the sanctification of the day over a cup of wine. On Passover, however, the first cup of wine is followed by three…
Prepare for the Final Celebratory Days of Passover
The seventh day of Passover, which begins tonight, recalls the splitting of the Sea of Reeds and the Shirah (song), which is tomorrow’s Torah reading. In honor of the beginning of the…
Shavuot,Shavuot Resources,Jewish Treats
The Feast of Weeks
Shavuot, which we begin celebrating this Thursday night (May 25th), is the only holiday listed in the Torah without the date on which it is to be observed. Rather, the Torah states that…
Shemini 5783-2023
“The Little Steps that Lead to Big Accomplishments” (updated and revised from Shemini 5765-2005) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald As the narrative of this week’s parasha, parashat Shemini,…
Eikev 5783-2023
“Battling Contemporary Abominations” (updated and revised from Eikev 5764-2004) by, Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Eikev, Moses, once again, encourages the…
At the Rebbe’s Table
In a chassidic community, the Rebbe is far more than the decider of Jewish law and the head of the synagogue. A chassidic Rebbe is the center of life for his community, a guide for their…
Ushpeezin (pronounced Oo’shpee’zin)
During the festival of Sukkot, the sukkah is intended to be our home. For example, since dining normally takes place in the house, on Sukkot, dining takes place in the sukkah. Because the…
Joined Together as One
Recognize that the significance of picking up the Four Species together at once represents the symbolic joining together of all Jews regardless of background and level of prior Jewish…
Chag Sameach
NJOP and Jewish Treats wish our friends and followers a hearty Chag Sameach (Happy holiday!), as we celebrate the joyous holidays of Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah. The joyous festival…
The Thanksgiving Synagogue Service
While Thanksgiving is most certainly an American festival of gratitude, its founders prominently articulated its religious underpinnings, which ultimately traces to a source in Judaism.…