Monday marks Tu B’Shevat — the 15th of the Hebrew month of Shevat, which is known as “the New Year for Trees.” It is the time of year when the earliest-blooming trees in the land of Israel start to flower. It is the … continue reading →
What to do — and how to do it — with large and/or historic synagogues closed because of dwindling congregations remain key issues, which we have written about several times in the past. Conversion into housing is one solution — … continue reading →
Synagogues the world over are filled with Hebrew inscriptions, on their walls, over the ark, on the bimah, over the doorway, as part of ritual objects… But many — if not most — people who visit synagogues may not know … continue reading →
Archaeologists carrying out preliminary work ahead of a planned renovation of the abandoned 18th-century synagogue in Wieliczka, Poland have discovered a “treasure chest” full of ritual items and other precious material buried under the synagogue floor. Local media reported that … continue reading →
In our new Have Your Say personal essay, American historian Robert Levitt writes how while working in the archives of the Alpes-Maritimes in Nice, France, sorting Holocaust-era documents related to a 20th century politician in Vichy France, he ran across … continue reading →
