Jewish Treats

Beauty and The Greeks

What does Noah’s son Yaphet have to do with the story of Chanukah and the mitzvah of circumcision? When the Syrian-Greeks sought to force Hellenization on the Judeans, one of the first…

Read More

Weekly Message,Vayeishev

Vayeishev 5771-2010

"Tamar: The Paradigm of an Heroic Woman” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Vayeishev, we learn of Judah’s estrangement from his family after the sale of Joseph…

Read More

Jewish Treats

Angel Names

Groups, in general, frequently form some sort of hierarchy. There are always those who are placed in charge, or who take charge. Since the celestial world is a mirror image of this world,…

Read More

Judaism,Holiday Resources,Tu b'Shevat,HolidaysLiteracy,Judaism

Tu b’Shevat

Tu b'ShevatNew Year for Trees Tu b’Shevat is a rabbinical, not biblical holiday. In fact, it is first…

Shemini Atzeret/Simchat Torah,Sukkot Resources,Holiday Resources,Judaism,HolidaysJudaism,Holidays,Literacy

Shemini Atzeret / Simchat Torah

- Shemini Atzeret / Simchat TorahThe Gathering of the 8th Shemini Atzeret, literally the Gathering of the…

Sukkot,Sukkot ResourcesSukkot

The Four Species

The Four Species “And you shall take for yourselves on the first day the fruit of a hadar (beautiful) tree, the branch…

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

Hows and Whys

How's and Why's of Rosh Hashana Table of Contents Rosh Hashana What Happens on Rosh Hashana The Festive Meal The Service The…

Jewish Treats

The Blessings of the Amidah: Gratitude

The nineteen blessings of the Amidah make up the core of the Jewish prayer service. The eighteenth blessing is an outright statement of gratitude. It is the longest of the nineteen…

Read More

Jewish Treats

The Great Sea Monster

For most of history, sea monsters were considered among the greatest perils of sea travel. Most probably, the “monsters” that they feared were simply whales, sharks and giant squid that…

Read More

Jewish Treats

Gad, the Son of Jacob

The patriarch Jacob loved his wife Rachel, but it was his wife Leah who initially made him a father (since Rachel was unable to conceive for many years). When Rachel presented her…

Read More