Putting Chanukah in Perspective
The events of Chanukah took place about 150 years after the death of Alexander the Great (323 BCE), whose death brought 40 years of civil war to his empire. Eventually, the empire was…
On The 25th Of Kislev
It is not uncommon to find that significant events in Jewish history occurred in different years but on the same day on the Jewish calendar. For instance, Tisha b'Av (9th of Av), the day…
Festive Poems
Take a survey of the most common adjective used to describe the Jewish High Holidays and the word might just be “long.” One reason for the long services is that in addition to the usual…
What’s in the Book – Malachi
The Book of Malachi is the last of the Twelve Prophets, and there is no reference to its historical period in the text other than the fact that sacrifices are once again being offered in…
Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai
Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai (Rashbi), whose yahrtzeit is on Lag Ba’omer, was one the five students who began studying with Rabbi Akiva after the horrible plague that…
Labor, Technology and the Torah
Labor celebrations have taken place throughout North America since the 1880s, and Labor Day became an official U.S. holiday in 1894. As students of history are well aware, in the decades…
Vayeishev 5767-2006
"What's in a Name?" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week's parasha, parashat Vayeishev, we are privileged to encounter one of the great epic narratives of world literature, the saga…
Yitro 5781-2021
“Structural Secrets of the Decalogue” (updated and revised from Yitro 5762-2002) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Yitro, in Exodus 20, we…
Tu b'Shevat,Holidays,Judaism,Holiday ResourcesJudaism,Literacy
Tu b’Shevat
Tu b'ShevatNew Year for Trees Tu b’Shevat is a rabbinical, not biblical holiday. In fact, it is first…
Israel’s Memorial Day
The State of Israel's independence, as well as its continued survival, is a modern day miracle. But, it has come at great cost in human lives to its citizens. Therefore, before Israel…