Torah Cafe

Jews gathered in Yeshivas throughout our history to study the Torah. The Beis Medrash, the study hall, is the central location in every Yeshiva but also found in all Jewish communities throughout our history.

A Rebbe is a unique Jewish leader distinct from a rabbi. What is a Rebbe? What is their role? What makes the Rebbe unique? Are there many Rebbes or is there just one Rebbe? How does one become a Rebbe?

A fascinating discussion about the meaning of a Rebbe

Every month, we gather and say a blessing and prayers thanking G-d for the moon. The blessing is a very special moment with many unique and unusual prayers included.

One of the hallmarks of the Jewish dress code is that men cover their heads, usually with a Kippah or Yarmulke. Why do Jewish men cover their heads? Why do we use a Kippah? Must it be worn all the time or just in the synagogue? Why don't women wear a Kippah too.

A fascinating discussion about the Kippah and Yarmulke.

The Dead Sea Scrolls, possibly the greatest discovery in Jewish history, were largely preserved scrolls from the late Second Temples period (2000 years ago) that were discovered near the Dead Sea about 80 years ago.

The Dead Sea scrolls describe the lives of the people who wrote them and lived with them as well as a number of parts of the Tanach (Jewish Scriptures)

For the first 1,000 years of Judaism, the Torah was only available in Hebrew. However, in the thousands of years since, the Torah was translated into Greek, Aramaic, Latin and eventually hundreds of other languages.

Some translations were done by Jews, many were done by non-Jews. Some translations were accurate while others corrupted the text. Some translations were seen by Jews as a major accomplishment while others were seen as a tragedy.

A fascinating discussion about the long and complex history of translating the Torah.

The Star of David is widely recognized as the symbol of Judaism and the Jewish people. Where did the Star of David come from? What is its significance? When did it become a Jewish symbol? Does it hold mystical powers?

A fascinating discussion about the mystery of the Star of David!

Two of the greatest ancient civilizations were the Jews and the Greeks. After the Greek conquest of the Persian Empire, Jews and Greeks lived together all around the Middle East and beyond.

The two great civilizations with their respective beliefs, traditions and wisdom influenced each other greatly but also clashed. The most notable clash was the banning of Judaism in the Seleucid Greek Kingdom around 200 BCE that led to the rebellion led by the Maccabees.

A fascinating discussion about the great clash between the ancient Jewish and Greek civilizations.

One of the most important books of Jewish mysticism is called the Tanya. The primary theme of the Tanya is that every person has two souls inside them that battle each other constantly.

A fascinating discussion about the Tanya's teachings of the battle of the two souls inside every person.

One of the greatest riddles in history is the strange contradiction between Jewish and Greek sources over the length of the Persian Empire. While Jewish biblical and rabbinic sources speak of a short empire that lasted about 50 years, Greek sources put the Persian Empire as lasting over 200 years.

This riddle has troubled historians for hundreds of years with various theories put forth to resolve it but still remains largely unresolved today.