Waterloo Waterlooplein
On June 18, 1815, Napoleon and his armies were defeated by the Seventh Coalition, an alliance of British and European forces. It was the end of Napoleon’s march across Europe. It was also…
Humility’s Gift
Moses’ job of leading the Israelites was not easy. Not only were the people “stiff-necked,” they also spent a great deal of time complaining. When the nation cried out that they wanted…
The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising
The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, which is famous for its month-long resistance struggle in April/May of 1943, actually began with an initial uprising on 12 Shevat 5703 (1943). When the Germans…
Hora Hey
Hands clasped, feet flying, and the room spinning as the giant circle of dancers turns round and round to the pulsing klezmer music from the band. It’s the Hora--that fabulous circle…
Vayishlach 5765-2004
"The Encounter" by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald In this week's parasha, parashat Vayishlach, we read of the dramatic encounter between Jacob and Esau. Uncertain whether Esau is coming toward…
The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising
The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, which is famous for its month-long resistance struggle in April/May of 1943, actually began with an initial uprising on January 18, 1943, which corresponded…
Minsk, Pinsk and Dvinsk?
Dvinsk, also known as Daugavpils or Duenaburg, is Latvia’s second largest city, situated 140 miles southeast of Riga, Latvia’s capital (Dvinsk is the city’s Russian name). Dvinsk became a…
The Jews Of Cyprus
The history of the Jews in Cyprus is surprisingly benign given the island’s proximity to both Europe and the Holy Land. The third largest island in the Mediterranean, Cyprus was home to a…
Kristallnacht
Kristallnacht, literally the Night of Crystal, but generally translated as the Night of Broken Glass, was a tragic turning point in the fate of Germany’s Jewish community. The…
The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising
The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, which is famous for its month-long resistance struggle against the Germans in April/May of 1943, actually began with an initial uprising on 12 Shevat 5703…