Jews Down Under
Jewish Treats pop quiz: Name the country whose first Jews arrived as convicts. The history of the Jews of Australia is one of the most peaceful narratives in the annals of the Jewish…
Moving On Up
The relationship of the Jews with the Land of Israel is long, varied and quite complex. While Jews have not always had sovereignty over the land, they have almost always had a presence…
Magen David Adom
The opportunity to save a life (hatzalat nefashot) is one of those unique events that may never occurs in a person’s lifetime. Today, Jewish Treats salutes those who often risk life and…
The Babylonian Talmud Completed
Around 200 C.E., Rabbi Judah Ha’Nasi (Judah the Prince) completed his great work of Jewish law, the Mishnah. Although Jewish tradition, for close to 1,500 years, forbade the writing of…
The Blessings of the Amidah: Ingathering of Exiles
The nineteen blessings of the Amidah make up the core of the Jewish prayer service. The tenth blessing focuses on the redemption of the Jewish people and ending the diaspora. T’kah…
Torah And The Stars
The Torah is considered to be the blueprint of the entire creation. It is therefore not surprising that the great sages took an interest in the movement of the heavens, both from an…
Music – This is not your father’s Hava Nagila
Popular Jewish music has become an increasingly diverse market over the last sixty years. What was once limited to cantorial music and klezmer classics has evolved into single artists,…
For Dew and Rain
As indicated by Jewish prayer, the rainy season in the land of Israel begins just after the holiday of Sukkot and ends at the start of Passover. During this time, there are two special…
Is Chanukah Really Eight Days?
Tonight is the eighth night of Chanukah, known as “Zot Chanukah,” a reference to the Torah portion that is read on the eighth day of Chanukah. Chanukah is set apart as an eight-day…
The Babylonian Talmud Completed
Around the year 200 C.E., Rabbi Judah Ha’Nasi (Judah the Prince) completed editing his great work of Jewish law, the Mishnah. Although Jewish tradition, for close to 1,500 years, forbade…