Rabbi Leban’s Famous Cholent
When you get compliments on how delicious your cholent is, tell them “what makes a good cholent is good guests.”
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Inspiration Zone
Today for This Week in Pictures, we’re honored to share some photos captured by Rabbi Danny Wolfe who is currently in Israel as part of a special Birthright Israel program. We’ll have many more photos to share upon his return, but for now, here are a few quick photos from…
That’s Going Too Far
The upheaval that Korach caused went far beyond his actual claims against Moshe. His dispute centered upon the seat of power in the nation. He contested Moshe’s authority, Ahron’s appointment as the Kohen Gadol and of course that his cousin was selected to be the head of his particular…
Spanish Golden Age
Spanish Golden Age1 Adar Ibn Ezra: While England was working to isolate and diminish the Jewish Community (see last week’s Blast from the Past), around the same time the Jews of Spain were living in a Golden Age. Rav Avraham (ben Meir) Ibn Ezra was born in Tudela in 1089. It was…
Birobidzhan: Jewish Utopia?
8 Adar So besides being my son, Zusha’s, birthday this Shabbat, what else has happened on this day in Jewish history? Can you believe that the Soviets tried to set up a Jewish Utopia in eastern Asia? It’s hard to believe, since we know the Soviets worked so hard to wipe…
Stalin Was: A Return of the Haman
14 Adar Most of you heard about Purim in the days of Esther and Mordechai, which was about 2,376 years ago in Persia. A most fascinating thing happened about 2,308 years later… It came to pass in the days of Joseph Stalin, the evil one who ruled from East Berlin…
The Brothers “Rebbe Reb”
21 Adar So earlier this year I get a chance to write about Rebbe Reb Zusha and now I get to write about his brother Rebbe Reb Elimelech of Lizhensk (1717-1786) whose yahrzeit is today. Interestingly in a Jewish leap year, the yahrzeit happens twice! The two brothers are famous for their adventures together,…
Bartenura’s Journey to Jerusalem
7 Nissan This is not the story of the wine. Though this is from whom that delicious wine gets its name! On this Shabbat in 1488, Rabbeinu Ovadiah Bartenura arrived in Eretz Yisrael after a three-year journey! Can you imagine traveling from Italy to Israel for three years? He was…
The Jewish King of Poland (for a day)
Often we think of Poland as a place of pain for the Jewish people. That might be true, but there are also a lot of positive things that happened in Poland for our people. An especially exciting story is the legendary story of the Jewish King of Poland! Here is…
The Legendary Prime Minister Golda Meir
“We have been waiting for 2,000 years. Is that hurrying?” Golda Mabovitch’s birthday is this Shabbat. You probably think of her as Golda Meir, but she was born to Blume and Moshe Mabovitch in Kyiv back in 1898. In her memoirs she shares that one of her earliest memories was…
? Burn Baby Burn ? Third Reich Inferno
The Connection between Lag b’Omer and the end of the Nazis Y”S “Better for that man to make himself fall into a fiery furnace than to embarrass his neighbor publicly” Rashbi (Sotah 10B) As the Romans controlled the holy land a couple thousand years ago, many Jews suffered under their…
The Story of the Dubno Maggid
17 Tevet Dubno Maggid: Today is the yahrzeit of Rabbi Jacob ben Wolf Kranz (1741-1804). He was known as the storyteller from Dubno a.k.a. “The Dubno Maggid.” This teacher is most famous for using stories to share very complex ideas in a simple way. He was a true scholar with…
The Lasting Impact of the Baal haTanya
“There is love like fire, and there is love like water.”— The Baal haTanya 24 Tevet: Yehrzeit of the Baal haTanya: Today is the yahrzeit of Rabbi Shneur Zalman (ben Baruch) of Liadi (1745-1812). He displayed extraordinary talent while still a child, but his most lasting accomplishments can be learned out from…
Rebbe Reb Zusha
““Better for that man to make himself fall into a fiery furnace than to embarrass his neighbor publicly” Rashbi (Sotah 10B)” Rebbe Reb Zusha:Today is the yahrzeit of Rebbe Reb Meshulem Zusha of Anapol. Of course, this is personal for me, since my son is named after this incredible leader!…
Rabbeinu Nissim
“Since the ancients have decided, their conclusions may not be set aside.” 9 ShvatRabbeinu Nissim ben Reuven haGerondi is known in shorthand as the RaN. He was born sometime between 1308-1320 and passed on between 1374-1376. The Ran is known as a great halachist and Talmudist, but his greatest impact was on…
Purim in Saragossa
“In Jewish history there are not coincidences”– Elie Weisel Purim Saragossa17 Shvat We just celebrated Tu b’Shvat, the New Year of Trees, a special time to taste unique and delicious fruits. For those of you who are already hungry, Purim is next, with hamentashen and more! Did you know that the…
Statute of Jewry
Statute of Jewry24 Shvat Meanwhile in England: Did you know in England the Jews were known as the property of the crown? It’s interesting that the Jewish people have a very similar idea, we just have a different “king” in mind. On this day in 1253, Henry III issued the Statute…
Make Sure You Are In The Right Gear
The main cause for the appearance of tzora’as, a skin infection, is due to loshon hora, or slanderous speech. The offender is sentenced to remain isolated outside the entire camp of Israel until he repents and then miraculously, the malady will disappear and he will be allowed to enter. Why…
This Week In Pictures
Let’s take a look at this week in pictures! We’ve got some fabulous photos from this week’s Olami Women’s learning night, plus a few important Mazels to our friends at Clean Speech St. Louis and Cleveland – and a look at the Strength in Dark Times Summit.
First Place
This Shabbos we will read the parsha that discusses the upcoming month of Nissan. It is considered the first and foremost of the months of the year. What indeed is so significant about this month. Of course, we bring the special Passover sacrifice in this month, however why would that…