Philosophical Dialogue
Spain in the early Middle Ages was a breeding ground for philosophers. As the peninsula shifted from Christian control to Muslim and back to Christian again, philosophy became the common…
Tzav 5763-2003
"What We Learn from the Jewish 'Caste System'" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This coming week's Torah portion, Parashat Tzav, continues the Torah's description of the sacrificial rite, and…
Tzav 5782-2022
“What We Learn from the Jewish ‘Caste System’” (Updated and revised from Tzav 5763-2003) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s Torah portion, parashat Tzav, continues the Torah’s…
Shelach 5774-2014
“Do Not Follow After the Desires of Your Heart and Eyes” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald While the major theme of parashat Shelach concerns the scouts who return from the Land of Israel with…
Jews and the Crimea
In 2014, the Russian army seized control of the Crimea. This occurred after Russia claimed a referendum of Crimean citizens, many of whom are Russian nationals, overwhelmingly favored…
Do you Shukle?
If you’ve ever watched a traditional prayer quorum, or even just the prayers of a traditional Jew, you might wonder what all the motion and bodily movement is about. Forward-back,…
A Lost Language of Scholarship
When most people think about Jewish language they think of Hebrew or Yiddish, and sometimes of Ladino. In honor of UN Arabic Language Day, Jewish Treats would like to recognize the…
Do you Shukle?
If you’ve ever watched a traditional prayer minyan (quorum), or even just the prayers of a traditional Jew, you might wonder what all the motion and body movement is about. Forward-back,…