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Class description Here are the topics for Session Eleven: Urban Legend: “Mordechai was Esther’s uncle!” An Unlikely Story: “Rabbi Akiva Eiger naively called a regular Jew the leader of world Jewry!” Street Torah: “The entire Zohar was written by Rav Shimon bar Yochai!” Folk Etymology: “The word “baal” means a husband because “baal” actually means an owner!” Don’t Know Much About History: “Targum Y...

Class description Here are the topics for Session Ten: Urban Legend: “We say ‘Migdol’ in Birkat HaMazon on Shabbat because of a misunderstanding!” An Unlikely Story: “The Sha’agat Aryeh was crushed to death by a bookcase!” Street Torah: “A Chanukah menorah is disqualified if the candles are at different heights!” Folk Etymology: “The letters on a dreidel stand for ‘Nes gadol hayah sham’!” Don’t Kn...

Class description Urban Legend: “During Birkat Kohanim, don’t look or you’ll go blind!” An Unlikely Story: “The Chofetz Chaim woke up his daughter to go pay a tailor in the middle of the night!” Street Torah: “Women are exempt from positive time-bound mitzvot because they’re too busy taking care of their children!” Folk Etymology: “The word ‘afikoman’ means dessert in Greek!” Don’t Know Much About...

Class description Urban Legend: “Mishlo’ach manot need to be two foods that have two different berakhot!” An Unlikely Story: “Simon & Garfunkel got the tune for ‘Scarborough Fair’ from ‘Dror Yikra’!” Street Torah: “Women aren’t allowed to touch (or look at) a Sefer Torah!” Folk Etymology: “The word ‘hamantasch’ means that Haman became weak (tash)!” Don’t Know Much About History: “Moshe Rabbein...

Class description Urban Legend: “We don’t eat giraffes because we don’t know where to shecht them!” An Unlikely Story: “Rav Gustman was impressed by the milkman – Rav Aharon Lichtenstein!” Street Torah: “Saying ‘Jesus’ is not allowed!” Folk Etymology: “The Satmar sect of Chassidim is from a town whose name means St. Mary!” Don’t Know Much About History: “Rashi’s pregnant mother was saved when the...

Class description Urban Legend: “Eliyahu’s cup at the seder is called that because he shows up and drinks from it!” An Unlikely Story: “There’s an orange on the seder plate (of liberal Jews) because a man once yelled, ‘A woman belongs on the bimah like an orange belongs on a seder plate’!” Street Torah: “Tzara’at was a punishment for Lashon HaRa only!” Folk Etymology: “The anointing oil included k...

Class description Urban Legend: “Some Orthodox Jews have sex through a hole in a sheet!” An Unlikely Story: “When Rav Preil’s daughters sang zemirot, Rav Baruch Ber walked out!” Street Torah: “You have to be forty in order to learn Kabbalah!” Folk Etymology: “The word ‘teiku’ stands for ‘Tishbi yitaretz kushyot ve’ibayot’ (Eliyahu will resolve all difficulties)!” Don’t Know Much About History: “El...

Class description Urban Legend: “The Gemara starts with Daf Bet in order to teach us an important lesson!” An Unlikely Story: “When Rav Moshe Feinstein found out that he drank non-Cholov Yisroel milk, he made himself throw up!” Street Torah: “If a Sefer Torah falls, everyone has to fast for forty days!” Folk Etymology: “The word ‘abracadabra’ comes from the Aramaic for ‘I will create as I speak’!”...

Class description Urban Legend: “Chazal say that if you make three shiddukhim, you’ll go to Olam HaBa!” An Unlikely Story: “The location of the Beit HaMikdash is because of a beautiful story about two brothers!” Street Torah: “Covering your head with your hand is no substitute for a yarmulke!” Folk Etymology: “The word ‘yarmulke’ comes from the Aramaic ‘yerei malka,’ fear of God!” Don’t Know Much...

Class description Urban Legend: “A Kohen must marry a virgin!” An Unlikely Story: “The Maharal made a golem!” Street Torah: “When Rivkah met Eliezer and married Yitzchak, she was three years old!” Folk Etymology: “The name ‘MarCheshvan’ means the month is bitter because it has no holidays!” Don’t Know Much About History: “The Menorah is hidden in the Vatican!” Misunderstood Text: “A midrash says t...

Urban Legend: “If you have a tattoo, you can’t get buried in a Jewish cemetery!” An Unlikely Story: “The Chofetz Chaim had an encounter from which he learned that you shouldn’t say Lashon HaRa even about yourself!” Street Torah: “Reclining at the Seder is to the left, because if you lean right you could choke!” Folk Etymology: “The phrase ‘bubbe mysehs’ is the Yiddish equivalent of ‘old wives’ tal...