The Ghetto Of Venice
The Jewish ghetto of Venice, made famous in William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice ( “Shylock” ), was actually the very first “ghetto.” That does not mean that when the Venetian…
Good Fences Make Good Neighbors?
The term “ghetto” has a sad connotation in Jewish history and a very negative association when referring to certain poor urban areas. The term’s etymology, however, originates from a…
Good Fences Make Good Neighbors?
The term “ghetto” has a sad connotation in Jewish history and a very negative association when referring to certain poor urban areas. The term’s etymology, however, originates from a…
The Salty Ghettos
It is a fairly well-known fact (perhaps due to Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice) that Jews in many European cities were forced to reside in ghettos. The first of these areas of restricted…
Proud Maker of Music
Giacomo Meyerbeer (born in 1791 as Yaakov Liebmann Beer) succeeded in creating the 19th century’s most frequently produced operas while maintaining and taking pride in his heritage. While…
The Jews of Crete and the Purim of Candia
The Jewish presence on the Island of Crete is rather ancient, with records of a Jewish community in Crete going as far back as the early Roman Empire. Living under the rule of the…
The Great Don
Few people in Jewish history understood the “wheel of fortune*” as well as Don Isaac Abrabanel (Lisbon, 1437 - Venice, 1508). Born into a prominent, wealthy Portugese family, Don Isaac…
Tzav 5761 – 2001
"Behold I am sending you Elijah the Prophet" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald On this coming Shabbat, the Shabbat of Erev Pesach, we read parashat Tzav. This Shabbat is known as Shabbat…
Bamidbar 5774-2014
“Counting the Jews, Again!” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Bamidbar, G-d speaks to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the Tent of Meeting, on the first…
Book Club
With some friends, read or watch The Merchant of Venice and discuss Shakespeare’s Jewish characters (Shylock and his daughter, Jessica).