Mishnitz, Myszyniec
Recently I received a letter with an inquiry about the town of Mishnitz.
Oceanside, N.Y. – To Be Young Again
Youth is the key to a Jewish community. Sure, there are snowbird synagogues, but bocce ball and bingo aren't going to attract young couples.
Acknowledgement And Empathy; The Caffeine Of Emotions
When we are exhausted but must continue doing whatever it is that needs to be done, we can usually rely on a jolt of caffeine to keep us on task.
The Old Shtetl Szczuczyn
The first mention of Szczuczyn, located in northeastern Poland, was in 1466 when it was mentioned in documents as a village that belonged to private owners.
Visiting The Graves Of Tzaddikim
For the past few weeks I have been describing my trip through Poland to different graves of Polish tzaddikim of the past.
Kristallnacht In Poland
Recently the world commemorated the 70th anniversary of Kristallnacht, the event that most consider the start of the Shoah.
The Old Shtetl Ilza (Drildz)
Ilza is a picturesque town in a valley along the Ilzanka River in south-central Poland.
The Old Shtetl Rymanow (Part I)
While the Ukraine was the birth place of the Chassidic movement, Poland and especially the Galicia area soon became the hub for most Chassidic activity after only two generations.
Restoration Of Poznan Cemetery
During my trip to Poland last year, I witnessed the restoration project underway in the city of Poznan.
Sweet Home Savannah
There's the old joke about two Jews deserted on an island who build three shuls. Like many attempts at humor, there is a certain degree of truth to this adage.
The Old Shtetl Gostynin
The town of Gostynin is located 14 miles southwest of the city of Plock and approximately 60 miles northwest of Warsaw.
Radom, Poland
During the construction work carried out in the city of Radom workers found a number of richly polychromatic (multi-colored) matzevot (tombstones) beneath the ground.
The Positive Side of Autism: An Interview with Dr. Temple Grandin
For many years, autism was considered to be a rare, mysterious and severely disabling condition. But in recent years, due at least in part to a broadening of its medical definition, the incidence of the diagnosis of autism and related disorders has risen to about 1 in every 150 babies born in this country.
Ostroleka Jewish Cemetery Exposed During Roadwork
The Jewish community in Ostroleka Poland was first established in the 17th century and like all other communities in Poland saw good times and bad. At the beginning of the 20th century the community numbered 6,219. During WWI the Russian Army destroyed the town while retreating and many Jews left for other cities, especially Warsaw. But after the war, Jews returned to Ostrolekaand by 1921 they numbered 3,352, more then a third of the total population.
Tragedy In Bilgoraj Jewish Cemetery
Last week I wrote about the Bilgoraj group that traveled to Poland last year and had a somewhat good experience.
Pultusk
Located just north of Warsaw on the Narew River, Pultusk is a small rural town described as being located on an island in the middle of a river.
Remembering A Dear Friend: Rebbetzin Irene Klass, a”h
What is it about a diamond that makes it the most valuable gemstone known to man?
The Krakow Bet HaChaim
During my recent trip to Poland I visited many cemeteries where great tzaddikim are buried.
Lancut
On my many trips to Poland, I always heard of the amazing synagogue structure in Lancut.
The Jews Of Portugal: Contemporary Sites And Events (Part Two)
In the first article on the Jews of Portugal, we reviewed the glorious periods of the history and depths of persecution to which Jews were subjected during the Inquisition.
The Old Shtetl Lipno
There is evidence of Jewish presence in Lipno as early as the 18th century.
The Greatest Act of Tzedaka – A Lifesaving Kidney Donation
What was the biggest single donation to Tzedaka (charity) or greatest act of Chesed (personal kindness) in your life? How much of a difference did it really make? Did it change a life? Did it save a life? How do you know for sure?
Chabad In Poland
It is often said that in places you would least expect, there is certain to be a Beit Chabad.
The Old Shtetl Zakroczym
Jews had always been permitted to settle in Zakroczym without restriction.
The Old Shtetl Rymanow (Part II)
Last week I wrote about Rabbi Avraham Reich, a decendent of Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Rymanow.
Pulling The Plug
In Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, an Orthodox family is finding themselves in a battle with the hospital that is caring for their father.
Irene Klass: A Pioneer At The Jewish Press And In Life
Irene Klass, the cofounder and publisher of The Jewish Press, the first nationally-distributed Orthodox Jewish newspaper in the U.S., died last week. She was 94.
Happiness Is A Gratitude Journal
You're cooking or cleaning and the radio is on in the background to keep you company. You really are not listening and have no idea what's being said, but suddenly "Israel" is mentioned and you rush over, turn up the volume and listen. How does that happen? What made you hear that word? What made you pay attention, while you had ignored the thousands of other words that might have been said in the minutes before? More importantly, how can we get that to work for us and make us happier?
Survivor Park In Lodz
The city of Lodz had once been the second largest Jewish community in all of Poland.
Jewish Agency In Poland
One of the most frequently asked questions about Jewish life in Poland is, "Are there still Jews there?"
