Author Archives: alreguelajat

Something interesting we can learn from the effects that emancipation had on the Jewish people was the number of responses the Jewish mind devised to address the problem. One of those responses was the Musar movement, which means «moral conduct … Seguir leyendo →

Putting on tefilin each morning during Shacharit prayer is based on four verses from the Torah: Exodus 13:9 and 13:16, and Deuteronomy 6:8 and 11:18. All four have the same message: «Write these words of mine upon your heart and … Seguir leyendo →

The Reform movement was the pioneer in attempting to modernize while simultaneously maintaining the essence of Judaism, within a culture of enlightenment and emancipation. They were deeply dedicated people and deeply concerned about the future of Judaism. They were convinced … Seguir leyendo →

Harry Heine was born in 1797 in Düsseldorf, Germany. He was the son of Samson Heine and Betty von Geldern, who educated their son in schools run by Jesuits and French refugees. Harry grew up in a culinary Jewish atmosphere: … Seguir leyendo →

Initially, there were two extreme responses to the problems that emancipation posed for Judaism. Those who rejected it completely proposed that Jews continue their traditional way of life, isolated from the outside world, as if they had never left the … Seguir leyendo →

Emancipation, the recognition that Jews had the same rights as other citizens, was seen as a historic change that heralded a better future for the Jewish people and became a central issue for Jews everywhere, although each community had to … Seguir leyendo →

The time of the French Revolution was when, for the first time, European Jews were granted the right to be citizens of the countries in which they lived. Ghettos were abolished, special clothing or insignia were abolished, people could live … Seguir leyendo →

In ancient times, the most important thing for people was faith in God. Religious authorities were the intermediaries between the divine and the common people, and they held that tradition was sacred and unchangeable, so they strictly enforced accepted religious … Seguir leyendo →

In biblical times, the “mohar” was the financial compensation that the groom paid to the bride’s father in order to marry her, and it was customary for the bride’s father to give this money to his daughter. The mohar, rather … Seguir leyendo →