Jewish Treats

Navy Man

Jewish Treats presents a biography of Uriah P. Levy, the U.S.’s first Jewish commodore. Born in Philadelphia in 1792, Levy took to the seas early (some sources report that he was 10 and…

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Weekly Message,Tzav

Tzav 5784-2024

“Do Sacrifices Have Any Relevance for Us Today?” (updated and revised from Tzav 5765-2005) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Tzav, continues the Torah’s…

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Jewish Treats

For The Medal of Honor: The Story of PFC Leonard Kravitz

On March 6, 1951, a platoon of American soldiers serving in the Korean War came under heavy fire by the Chinese Army near Yangpyeong, Korea. When the platoon’s Machine Gunner was wounded,…

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Tetzaveh,Weekly Message

Tetzaveh 5784-2024

“A Flame in Every Jewish Heart" (updated and revised from Tetzaveh 5765-2005) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Tetzaveh, focuses primarily on the design and…

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Jewish Treats

Everyone Does the Wave

One of the main mitzvot of the holiday of Sukkot is the waving of the Four Species: citron (etrog), palm branch (lulav), myrtle (hadassim) and willow (aravot). Trying to understand this…

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Jewish Treats

Avinu Malkeinu

No prayer so thoroughly captures the Jewish people’s dual relationship with God as Avinu Malkeinu, “Our Father, Our King.” While Avinu Malkeinu is a prayer widely known to be part of the…

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Nitzavim,Uncategorized,Vayeilech

Nitzavim-Vayeilech 5783-2023

“The Promise of Total Return” (updated and revised from Nitzavim-Vayeilech 5762-2002) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald   This week’s double parashiot, Nitzavim and Vayeilech, are among…

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Kee Tavo,Weekly Message

Kee Tavo 5783-2023

"The Centrality of Joy in Jewish Observance" (updated and revised from Kee Tavo 5764-2004) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Parashat Kee Tavo is one of the two parashiot in the Torah that…

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Jewish Treats

Tisha b’Av

This Wednesday night at sunset, the saddest day on the Jewish calendar begins. Known as the Fast of the 9th of Av (Tisha b’Av), the observances of Tisha b’Av are very similar to Yom…

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Jewish Treats

The Month of Av

The months of the Jewish year are called in the Torah by number only (the first month, second month, etc.). Over time, during the exile, the months assumed the names given to them by host…

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