Yom Ha’atzma’ut – Israel’s Independence Day
On the fifth day of the Hebrew month of Iyar, in the year 5708, corresponding to May 14, 1948, the State of Israel was born. On that day, the British Mandate was terminated and David…
The Soviet Jewry Movement
May is Jewish American Heritage Month. At first glance, a discussion of the Soviet Jewry Movement may seem like an odd choice for Jewish American history, but the movement had a powerful…
Benjamin Nones
U.S. politics have never been pretty. Even as the colonists declared their independence from England, they were busy arguing with one another. Rather than Democrats (liberals) and…
Golda
Stories of the Zionist leaders of the early twentieth century usually begin: "He came from Poland (or Russia) and...” Golda Meir’s account, however, begins quite differently: She came…
Jews and War
The Israeli Defense Force (IDF) is one of the world’s top fighting forces. This is not so surprising when one recalls that the Bible is filled with references to military might. Even…
In Honor of Armistice Day: A Jewish War Hero Remembered
Sammy Dreben, “The Fighting Jew,” (1878-1925) was a new immigrant to the United States when he enlisted in the U.S. Army. It’s ironic that one of the main reasons that Dreben fled from…
The Father of Political Zionism
Theodor Herzl (Vienna, Austria 1860-1904) was 35 years old when he realized that European society would never see Jews as anything other than foreigners. An assimilated journalist, Herzl…
Israel Independence Day
On the fifth day of the Hebrew month of Iyar, in the year 5708, corresponding to May 14, 1948, the State of Israel was born. On that day, the British Mandate was terminated and David…
In Honor of Veterans Day- A Jewish War Hero Remembered
Sammy Dreben, “The Fighting Jew,” (1878-1925) was a new immigrant from Russia to the United States when he enlisted in the U.S. Army. It’s ironic that one of the main reasons that Dreben…
Mikeitz 5781-2020
“A Dysfunctional Family Becomes Functional” (updated and revised from Mikeitz 5762-2001) by, Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Mikeitz, the soap opera, (just…