One of my favorite links was to the Chagall stained-glass windows in the Synagogue of the Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center. They depict the twelve sons of Jacob, from whom came the twelve tribes of Israel. They’re shown as thumbnails, but if you click on each image you can see it in its full beauty. Most of the historical sites focus on Russia, Poland, and other sites in Eastern Europe, with little about Sephardic Judaism. But all in all, it is a wonderful and easy-to-use compendium of many of the most interesting Jewish sites on the Web.

>> Jewish Culture and History

Navigating the Bible

Here is a very useful guide to the Jewish Bible presented in English, Russian, and Spanish, and designed to help Jewish boys and girls to study for their bar or bat mitzvah. All the Torah readings and blessings appear in English and phonetic Hebrew; in the Hebrew alphabet as they appear on the temple scrolls; and on audio files you can play via Real Audio! Learn to chant your Torah portion online — there’s even a tutorial! And to be as inclusive as possible, the designers have included all the Sedrot and all of the Haftarot on the site.

An atlas provides background information on Jewish art (the images take a little time to load), Eve, the Tower of Babel, and much more! There is even a handy online calendar to locate the Torah weekly reading or to enter a child’s birthdate to find out when one should hold their bar or bat mitzvah. What a great resource for study and practice! It’s well-organized, well-designed, and quick to load and move around in Highly recommended!

>> Navigating the Bible

The Jewish Food Recipe Archives

A treasure trove of Jewish recipes contributed from around the world, this site contains over 7,000 recipes in a searchable database, with more being added all the time (yum!). You can search by name or ingredient, or browse through recipe categories from blintzes to tzimmes. The international section features dishes from Israel, Indonesia, Mexico, and Italy, among other countries. There is a category devoted to holiday dishes, including Hanukkah, Purim, and Sukkot and hundreds of special recipes for Passover. Even tofu and pasta have their own sections! There are 29 recipes listed for chopped liver alone, including several vegetarian and low-fat versions.

The recipes were collected from a Jewish food mailing list and other sources and are the handiwork of thousands of home cooks from around the world. Provided as a public service, the site is simple and unadorned (except for a pickle and pastrami sandwich photo), but easy to use. These recipes are for all persuasions, as the home page notes that not all the recipes will meet the strictest standards for kashrat. Maintained as a public service for all, this site provides lots of inspiration for noshing!

>> The Jewish Food Recipe Archives

Window on the Wall

This site offers you the unusual opportunity to view a webcam on Jerusalem’s sacred Western Wall that is updated every sixty seconds, day or night, in sunlight, moonlight and more. Besides the beautiful color picture of the Western Wall with the Dome of the Rock in the background, there are many links to background information on the Wall and its significance and on Judaism in general. One link explains six reasons why the Wall is holy, while another unveils the mystical secret behind the Wall (you’ll have to visit the Web site yourself to find out what it is!). There’s also a photo gallery of current and historical pictures, and a guide to activities and events that you can see happening daily there, including prayer, bar mitzvahs, and the Bircas Kohanim, the age-old annual blessing of the Jewish people at the Wall (you can even listen to it via Real Audio). Take a virtual break at this sacred and beloved site anytime.

>> Window on the Wall

The American Jewish Historical Society

The American Jewish Historical Society (AJHS) strives to foster awareness and appreciation of the American Jewish past. It maintains a collection for the preservation and dissemination of materials relating to American Jewish history. Learn about American Jewish life from first arrival in the Americas to the present day. Browse through “Chapters in American Jewish History.” View the faces of the past in their photographic collections. How much do you really know about American Jewish life? Test Your Knowledge of American Jewish History with the American Jewish History Quiz.

>> American Jewish Historical Society