Saying Goodbye To Shabbat

Shabbat ends when three stars appear in the sky, a little more than an hour after candle lighting time. Maariv, the evening service, is recited in the synagogue and, upon returning home,…

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But Wait…There’s More

Now that the Jewish people have repented on Yom Kippur and, hopefully, received Divine forgiveness, it is time to sit back and relax... Just kidding! It is time to celebrate! Just four…

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Toledot 5764-2003

"The Theological Underpinnings of Anti-Semitism" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In our previous study of parashat Toledot for the year 5761-2000, we analyzed the ancient origins and…

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Yitro 5765-2005

"Jethro's Advice to an Overburdened Leader" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this coming week's parasha, parashat Yitro, we learn of Judaism's remarkable openness and willingness to…

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Toledot 5767-2006

"The Unanswered Prayer" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week's parasha, parashat Toledot, focuses on the life of the patriarch Isaac and his relationships with his wife, Rebecca and his…

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Kee Teitzei 5780-2020

“Polygamy and Jewish Tradition” (Updated and revised from Kee Teitzei 5761-2001) by, Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Kee Teitzei, we learn of the special…

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The Jews of Panama

The history of the Jews in Panama is similar to Jewish history in other South and Central American countries. Conversos came to the region with Spanish settlers, but, in time, became…

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Sarah’s Whereabouts Determine Jewish Law

Parashat Vayeira begins with Abraham convalescing after his circumcision. Unexpectedly, he sees three “visitors,” whom the Midrash identifies as angels, come toward his home. Excited to…

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A Friendly Emperor

On November 17th, in the year 331 C.E., Flavius Claudius Julianus was born. He was the son of the half-brother of Constantine, the first Roman Emperor to recognize Christianity as the…

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First On The Court

Born in 1856, in Louisville, Kentucky, Louis Dembitz Brandeis was the child of European immigrants who maintained a minimal Jewish identity. However, his maternal uncle, Lewis Dembitz,…

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