Jewish family education
Sticks and stones
Sacred Speech Series Jewish Family Education with Candace R. Kwiatek, The Dayton Jewish Observer The Talmud tells of a man who prepared a party, but the invitation to his friend Kamtza mistakenly went to his sworn enemy, Bar Kamtza. When the host discovered his enemy at the party, he ordered,
For Heaven’s sake
Sacred Speech — a new series Jewish Family Education with Candace R. Kwiatek, The Dayton Jewish Observer The new rabbi was mystified. Every Shabbat, an argument broke out during the service when it came time to recite the Shema. Half the congregation would tell everyone to rise: “We stand for
Courage or cowardice?
Judaism’s Worldview Series with Candace R. Kwiatek, The Dayton Jewish Observer A slave of the Hasmonean king, Alexander Yannai, killed a man and was brought to trial. Since the Torah required that even an ox accused of goring a person to death be testified against together with its master, the
Create or destroy?
Judaism’s Worldview Series Jewish Family Education with Candace R. Kwiatek, The Dayton Jewish Observer Twenty-five miles southwest of Jerusalem, Tel Lachish towers over the Judean landscape, a multi-layered mound of destroyed and rebuilt settlements and major cities from 5,500 B.C.E. through the eras of Joshua, Kings, and Maccabees. There, archaeologists
Law or justice?
Judaism’s Worldview Series Jewish Family Education with Candace R. Kwiatek, The Dayton Jewish Observer Two men appeared as disputants before Rabbi Heschel of Kraków, stated their claims, and left. As the rabbi deliberated, one man returned with a bag of gold coins and a request to decide the case in
Sun or moon?
Judaism’s Worldview Series Jewish Family Education with Candace R. Kwiatek, The Dayton Jewish Observer Nearly 2,000 years ago, the Talmudic sages taught: “When the sun is eclipsed it is a bad omen for the entire world. The Gemara (commentary) tells a parable. To what is this matter comparable? To a
Individual or community?
Judaism’s Worldview Series Jewish Family Education with Candace R. Kwiatek, The Dayton Jewish Observer As the Roman Emperor Hadrian travelled along the roads of Tiberias, he saw an elderly man digging holes to plant fruit trees. Hadrian called out, “Old man, old man, how old are you today?” He replied,
Truth, white lie, or falsehood?
Judaism’s Worldview Series Jewish Family Education with Candace R. Kwiatek, The Dayton Jewish Observer Salonika, Greece, 1936. The people in Nico’s Jewish neighborhood called the little blond-haired blue-eyed boy Chioni, Greek for snow, because he never lied. He adored his grandfather, who once warned him about lies. “Sometimes, if you
Unity or diversity?
Judaism’s Worldview Series Jewish Family Education with Candace R. Kwiatek, The Dayton Jewish Observer The brainchild of Jewish philanthropist Harold Grinspoon, PJ Library is a free Jewish book club for families that provides more than 1,100 unique stories for celebrating Jewish values, traditions, and culture, and strengthening Jewish connection and
Good or evil?
Judaism’s Worldview Series Jewish Family Education with Candace R. Kwiatek, The Dayton Jewish Observer “They roared their terrible roars and gnashed their terrible teeth and rolled their terrible eyes and showed their terrible claws,” goes the fearsome chant-like refrain in the picture book classic Where the Wild Things Are by