Did you know that the word for sin in Hebrew - chet - comes from the sport of archery? So does the word Torah, which refers to the Old Testament scrolls and the text they contain.

When on Yom Kippur, the Day of Repentance, Jews all over the world recite over and over again in the holiday liturgy the words "al chet," which are usually translated as "the sin," what they are really saying is "the missed mark." Hebrew has no real word for sin. There...

The Queen Mary has been a permanent feature in Long Beach, California for a couple fo decades and is one of the most famous cruise ships of all time. The ship has become a hotel, museum and popular tourist attraction, and the historic ship is internationally recognized and attracts thousands of visitors every year. Besides the living guests, the ship is said to play host to several ghosts. It has been speculated that the Queen Mary might be one of the most haunted places in the world....

Psalm 23
The Lord is my Shepherd
The Lord is my trainer
I shall not fear the fight.
He is constantly with me, working my corner
He refreshes me between rounds with cool water
And with even cooler advice

Yeah, though I walk to centre-ring
To stare out an opponent twice my size
Even then He will be with me
His hands on my shoulders
And his words to guide

With His towel and His sponge He will care for me
All the...

Gems have been used from times immemorial for luck and as good omens.Kings and queens are reported to be craving for the possession and pursuit of beautiful gems and stones. Our fore-fathers have used them to ward off evil spirits, to bring luck and favor as well as to prolong their longevity. Some astrologers prescribe wearing of appropriate gemstones or birthstones as they are commonly called as remedial measures for mitigating the malefic effects of some planets. This is akin to a...

Have you ever wondered what 'Allahu Akbar' means or any other common phrases that you may hear in movies or from your Muslim friends and family members? Well, this is a short article designed to give you the basics of the Muslim vocabulary by defining 30 common terms.

Allahu Akbar- Often mistranslated as 'God is the greatest', it actually means 'God is greater'. This indicates that whatever you may be thinking of in your mind, good or bad, God is greater than that. When we...

Verse 3:159 says that Allah loves those who put their trust in Him
Also, the verse gives some Golden recommendations that Allah gave His Prophet Muhammad in order to be the best leader.

The verse says:

It was by the mercy of God that you, Prophet Muhammad, were lenient with them, that you showed indulgence toward them when they disobeyed you;
Had you been harsh in speech,
Ill-natured, and fierce of heart,
Brutish and coarse towards them,

It is an accepted fact that the Christmas tree tradition is one that was brought to the shores of America by German immigrants who continued a practice that was popular in their former homeland. Today, a Christmas tree, even a miniature one, is present in just about every home at Christmas. It is therefore interesting to note some little-know facts about the Christmas Tree and other traditions related to Christmas.

The first interesting fact is the source of real Christmas...

We’ve been working our way through the story of Abraham for some time now – stories about Abraham & Sarah, Abraham & his family, Abraham & his descendents, Abraham and the promises God made to him - Abraham the ‘father of faith’.

We started the story when this aging Bedouin figure had the word of God come to him and, at the age of 72, climbed up onto his camel and headed out into the unknown.

If you have a very good memory, you...

You must be waiting for the judgment day. It's time for the review of the last year deeds. But, we know God is kind and all our misdeeds will be forgiven. This is the essence of Rosh Hashanah. It is the Jewish New Year for people, animals and legal contracts. This is the only Jewish festival that runs for two days so that people can understand the seriousness of the occasion.

It is believed that God evaluates the past deeds of his men from his golden throne. But the final judgment...

It's that time of year again. Kids with 'borrowed' shopping carts full of wood rush by. The smell of bonfire smoke fills the air. Lag B'Omer is here.

I have grown accustomed to the bonfires (and the smoke) which will accompany the onset of Lag B'Omer this Saturday night. I wonder how many of the revelers even know that the fires are in honor of the great sage and author of theZohar, Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai (a disciple of Rabbi Akiva), who according to...