In the early twentieth century, one of the critical political battles was the fight for women’s right to vote. Among the suffragist organizations of Great Britain, there arose a unique organization known as The Jewish League for Woman Suffrage (JLWS).

As few members of the British aristocracy have converted to Judaism, the conversion of Lord George Gordon* (1751 – 1793) was a matter of note in British society.

To much of the American populace, tonight [Halloween] is a night of goblins and ghouls, vampires and witches. These monsters are actually characters found in old myths and fairytales.

“It was taught: There is no measure [of reward] for visiting the sick. What is meant by, ‘there is no measure for visiting the sick?’ Rabbi Joseph thought to explain that: Its reward is unlimited…. Rabbi Abba son of Rabbi Hanina said: He who visits an invalid takes away a sixtieth of his pain” (Nedarim 39b).

On 13 MarCheshvan, 1960, Rabbi Haim Nahum Effendi passed away in Cairo, and thousands of people – Jews, Muslims and Christians – attended his funeral.

At the end of the patriarch Jacob’s life, Joseph brings his sons to his father for a blessing. This scene, recorded in Genesis 48, includes a seemingly odd statement by Jacob: “And as for me, when I came from Padan, Rachel died in the land of Canaan on the road…and I buried her there in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem” (Genesis 48:7).

Deuteronomy 16:18 states: “…You shall not take a bribe, for bribery blinds the eyes of the wise and perverts just words.”

It is a fact of history that students have frequently been at the center of radical movements, often under the influence of a teacher or mentor. This was the case of Rabbi Yonah of Geronah, who, following the lead of his teacher Rabbi Solomon of Montpellier, passionately called for a ban on the philosophical work of Maimonides, The Guide to the Perplexed. In fact, Rabbi Yonah is generally regarded as the instigator of the 1233 Inquisitional book burning of Maimonides’ work.

Some people might find it surprising that the sages discussed certain “best practices” for getting dressed. For instance, the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, an abridged compendium of the laws enumerated in the full Code of Jewish Law, states: “You should be careful not to put on two articles of clothing at one time, this causes forgetfulness.” (For instance, finish buttoning your shirt before putting on your pants lest you get distracted and leave the house dishevelled.)

Like many of the later prophets, the Book of Zechariah has more prophecy than narrative.