Shavuot 5784-2024
Shavuot 5784-2024 “Abba’s Final Shavuot” (updated and revised from Shavuot 5765-2005) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Our father, of blessed memory, Moshe Aharon Buchwald, whom my sisters…
Naso 5784-2024
“A Lesson from the N’seeim--the Tribal Leaders” (updated and revised from Naso 5765-2005) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s Torah portion, parashat Naso, is almost always read…
Preparing for the Torah
Shortly after the Israelites encamped at the base of Mount Sinai, they agreed to accept the Torah and do all that God had commanded. And so, God declared that He would bring Himself, in…
Time to Prepare
Use this Shabbat and the Sh’loshet Y’mei Hagbalah, the three days that follow before Shavuot to learn more about and to delve into the wisdom of the Sages by visiting NJOP’s Shavuot…
Shavuot Resources,Jewish Treats,Shavuot
Feast of Weeks
Shavuot, which we begin celebrating next Tuesday night (June 11th), is the only holiday listed in the Torah without the date on which it is to be observed. Rather, the Torah states that…
Get a Head Start
Prepare for Shavuot by downloading our free eBook "Jewish Treats on The Ten Commandments" by clicking here.
The Jews’ Hospital of New York
Healthcare is a topic that is frequently in the news these days and is a major part of the current public discourse. Before it became standard practice for governments to fund public…
Kosher Food
If you or a family member require hospital care, ask whether kosher food is available.
Lions and Jerusalem Day
The original city of Jerusalem, conquered by King David from the Jebusites, is now known as Ir David, situated in the Silwan neighborhood, south of the Temple Mount. Over time, Jerusalem…
Celebrate Jerusalem Day
Learn more about the connection that Jews have had with Jerusalem over the last 3,000 years through the powerful video presentation delivered several years ago by the late former Chief…
Bamidbar 5784-2024
“Lessons from Traveling in the Wilderness” (updated and revised from Bamidbar 5765-2005) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Bamidbar, the people of…
Make Me the High Priest
The Talmud (Shabbat 31a), relates the strange story of a non-Jewish man who wished to convert to Judaism in order to ultimately become the High Priest of Israel. He believed that, in this…
It’s OK to Ask
Don't hesitate to ask questions about Jewish life and Jewish law.
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,…
Jewish Trailblazer
Appreciate Jewish trailblazers like Justice Louis Brandeis who, as the first Jew confirmed as a Supreme Court Justice, broke through the glass ceiling, opening the door for other Jewish…
Bowing Down
Because it was customary for idol worshippers to bow fully to the ground before their idols, Jews refrain from bowing down (with the exception being during the Yom Kippur service).…
Awareness
Be aware that some items that appear as art are really considered statues in Jewish law.
Kissing the Mezuzah
A person might easily think of the mitzvah of mezuzah as a passive mitzvah. Simply recite the blessing before affixing the mezuzah to the doorposts of the house, and it is done. While…
Divine Protection
Whether you touch or kiss a mezuzah, bear in mind the mezuzah's symbolism of Divine protection of the Jewish people.
Jewish Matchmaking
“Matchmaker, matchmaker / Look through your book / And make me a perfect match…” (Fiddler on the Roof). With the widespread proliferation of internet dating sites such as eHarmony,…
Be a Shadchan, a Matchmaker
Think about your single friends and consider suggesting appropriate matches for them.
Bechukotai 5784-2024
“Achieving Peace and Security for the Jewish People” (updated and revised from Bechukotai 5765-2005) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Bechukotai, we encounter…
A Memorial to a Brave Soldier
David Rosenkrantz is one of the many unsung heroes whose lives, cut short by the horrors of war, are honored on Memorial Day. Born in 1916, Staff Sergeant Rosenkrantz joined the army in…
Remembering Our American Heroes
Today, on Memorial Day, take a moment to recognize the heroic actions of American soldiers and the Jewish soldiers among them who have valiantly and heroically fought on our behalf to…
Lag Ba’Omer
The period of mourning* (for the 24,000 students of Rabbi Akiva who died of plague) that is associated with Sefirat Ha’Omer, is not observed on the 33rd day of the Omer, a day known as…
Time for a Trim
Get your haircut and take a shave today and maybe even listen to a little bit of upbeat Jewish music.
Happy Birthday Birkat Hamazon
The Torah (Exodus 16:1) reports that the Children of Israel arrived at the Wilderness of Sin on the 15th of the Hebrew month of Iyar, approximately one month after the exodus from Egypt.…
Remember to Say “Thank You”
Tonight, after enjoying a delicious Shabbat meal, say “Thank You” by reciting Birkat Hamazon, Grace After Meals. Saying thank you and acknowledging our great appreciation to God for the…
The Charleston Synagogues
Charleston, South Carolina is home to one of the oldest Jewish communities in the United States. The 1669 charter for the Carolina Colony explicitly included liberty of conscious for…
Do Your Research
Before you travel to a city with a sizable Jewish population, especially one with a rich Jewish history like Charleston, SC, research its history and its synagogues to better appreciate…