My Italian Jewish surname (last name)... could it be Jewish? Researching Italian Surnames for Possible Jewish Roots Have you wondered if you have Jewish ancestors? Does your family history include stories of Jewish heritage or Jewish traditions? Some experts state that as much as 50% of the populations of Calabria and Sicily (the most Southern regions of Italy) were Jewish before the Inquisition. During the Inquisition, some of these families moved north in Italy and then east into Greece and Islamic countries to pursue their religion without fear of death. Some were already inter-married with Catholic families and were blending into that society and not openly practicing the Jewish religion so they didn't need to move. Some were converted to Christianity as adults to stay in their towns and keep their lives. There is a Jewish congregation in Salonika (Greece) dating to the Inquisition, so that now most of them aren't even aware of their Italian roots! Rabbi Barbara (see below) has traced her family as it traveled around the Mediterranean and eventually settled in Calabria. Some of these traveling families returned to Italy after the Inquisition, some didn't. Knowing that among the emigrants to the US, the Italians were the most likely to return to their homeland, I suspect the same applies to these people. A | B | C | D | E | F | G...
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The Hebrew word "tzedakah" is commonly translated as "charity" or "tithe." But this is misleading. "Charity" implies that your heart motivates you to go beyond the call of duty. "Tzedakah," however, literally means "righteousness" -- doing the right thing. A "tzaddik," likewise, ...
ארמלגוס - Armi-what? 2. Who, what, where and when is Armilus / Armilgus? 3. Does anyone know? The Armilus is virtually unknown to the vast majority of people, even those who are Jewish and consider themselves religious! A handful of Bible scholars have looked up the word in various ...
Jewish prayer is an aid to developing a meritorious attitude and a commendable way of feeling. Therefore, Jews actively seek reasons to praise God's creation. There are Jewish prayers to be said when witnessing a falling star, when hearing the clap of thunder in the clouds, when seeing a rainbow, when noticing the first bud of spring on the branch ...
Yom Kippur,יום כיפור means "Day of expiation". It occurs on the tenth day of the month of Tishrei and puts an end to the "Ten Days of Awe" which are the days of repentance that start on the first day of the month of Tishrei, for Rosh Hashana. Each one is called on this special day ...
Kedusha (holiness) is the theme opening again for this portion. Twice Moshe speaks, about this lifestyle required of them. A lifestyle with more required and more restrictions than the rest of the Israelites. The priests and high priests were more than just religious figures performing roles. They stood in for the people, made korbanot (sacrifices ...
...In the seventh month, on the first of the month, there shall be a sabbath for you, a remembrance with shofar blasts, a holy convocation. -Leviticus 16:24 (Note: when any Bible holiday falls any day, that day becomes Shabbat / Sabbath, even if it is Tuesday). Rosh Hashanah occurs on the first and second days of Tishri. In Hebrew, Rosh Hashanah m ...
Speak to the children of Israel, saying: “In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a Shabbat-rest, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation” (Vayikra / Leviticus 23:24). The shofar is/was blown on the first of Tishri, the seventh month of the Jewish religious calendar. It is Yom Teruah, “th ...
If one is in search of a single codification that represents the essential core of Jewish belief, no source is better than the Rambam's thirteen principles of faith (apart from the Hebrew Bible of course). The Rambam himself refers to these thirteen principles as "the fundamental truths of our religion and its very foundations" (Pirush o ...
This is a double parsha, made up of parshas Behar and Bechukotai. The seven aliyot of this week's reading are indicated by special aliyah markings within those two parshas in the Chumash. Parshiyot Behar and Bechukotai are power-packed doubleheaders, this one emphasizing the connection between the Jew and Eretz Yisrael. The lunisolar Hebrew calend ...
Va'etchanan, Deuteronomy 3:23 - 7:11 is this week's Torah portion. It is the tale of Moshe pleading with the Most High to enter the Promised Land, and the response of the Holy One answering Moshe will see the Promised Land. He retells the people's history, stressing this is a first for people to have a relationship with the Creator, Father and Kin ...
If a man makes a vow to HaShem or takes an oath imposing an obligation on himself, he shall not break his pledge; he must carry out all that has crossed his lips. [Numbers 30:3] This week we have a double portion Matot (Tribes) and Masei (Journeys). I will focus this week on Matot. The first Aliyah has Moses instructing Israel concerning vows. It ...
הבשורה טובה הגאולה What language was the Besora Tova HaGeula (Good News of Redemption) written in? Most people will tell you it was written in Greek. They go on to tell you that it was the "language of the day". They say everything during that ...
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