Jewish Treats

Symbolic Foods

Since Rosh Hashana is the Day of Judgment, it is customary to eat simanim*, foods with symbolic meanings that invoke God’s blessing. We also recite a short prayer before eating them.…

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Re'eh,Weekly Message

Re’eh 5764-2004

"Identifying a True Prophet" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week's parasha, parashat Re'eh, the Torah warns the Jewish people not to follow false prophets. The difficulty with this…

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Bereshith,Weekly Message

Bereshith 5762-2001

"The Origins and Meanings of Evil" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Especially in light of the World Trade Center and Pentagon terrorist bombings, human beings all over the world are…

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Yom Kippur,Weekly Message

Yom Kippur 5769-2008

"Difficult Transitions" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald On the last day of his life, Moses seals the new covenant with the People of Israel. According to the Midrash, the people then return…

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Lech Lecha,Weekly Message

Lech Lecha 5773-2012

"To the Land that I Will Show You" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Lech Lecha, G-d instructs Abram (his name had not yet been changed to Abraham), to begin…

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Genesis,Toledot,Weekly Message

Toledot 5773-2012

"The Sale of the Birthright" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Toledot, we learn of the sale of the birthright by Esau to his twin brother Jacob. In order to…

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Weekly Message,Vayechi

Vayechi 5778-2017

“Blessing the Children--Revisited” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald   This week’s parasha, parashat Vayechi, is chock-full of blessings. Before his passing, Jacob not only blesses his…

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Judaism,Rosh Hashana Resources,Rosh HashanaLiteracy,Judaism,Rosh Hashana

Rosh Hashana Essay

Rosh Hashana Essay “Elul is the time to look back over the past year, sort out our strengths and weaknesses, and see…

Yom Kippur,Yom Kippur Resources,JudaismLiteracy,Judaism,Yom Kippur

How We Prepare

How We Prepare Preparation for Yom Kippur begins during the first ten days of the Hebrew month of Tishrei, beginning with Rosh…

Jewish Treats

The Blessings Over Food: She’ha’kol/The Other Foods

The she’ha’kol blessing encompasses all things that do not grow from the ground: water, meat, fish, eggs, dairy, processed foods such as candy and most drinks. Ba’ruch Ah’tah Ah’doh’nai…

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