New Haggadah promises Passover seder that isn’t as ‘dull as matzah’
The Jewish nonprofit JewBelong, known for its blunt and pink billboards, released a free, downloadable Passover Haggadah that contains a “blessing for anyone who isn’t Jewish” and the “10 plagues of antisemitism.”
The 40-page booklet follows the traditional...
From one coast to the other: It’s Passover ‘to go’
My head is spinning. A Passover seder meal totally planned and nearly completely prepared on the East Coast and then flown to the West?
For Gloria and Bob Spitz, it’s no big deal. Gloria says,...
Purim, the Oscars and dying to fit in
Purim celebrates the deliverance of the Jewish nation from the genocidal decree that was enacted by the Persian King Achashverosh through the dastardly machinations of his wicked advisor Haman. Haman’s plan called for the...
‘We need the joy’: Jews around the world gear up for Purim despite the...
More than 2,000 years ago, when the Jews of Persia triumphed over an existential threat, they celebrated by proclaiming a holiday: They gave charity, the Scroll of Esther recounts, sent each other presents of...
A hollow Holocaust Remembrance Day
It’s an important date on the international community’s calendar. Every year, the United Nations and many other institutions and organizations hold ceremonies on Jan. 27 commemorating the Holocaust. It’s long been clear that much...
Tu B’Shevat highlights challenges being faced by Israeli farmers
As Israelis celebrate the agricultural holiday of Tu B’Shevat on Thursday, Uri Dorman is concerned about the Hamas war's impact on farms near the Gaza and Lebanese borders.
“All those farms are very close to...
International Holocaust Remembrance Day is different this year
As the author of two post-Holocaust novels and a former high school history teacher, my guiding assumption before the Oct. 7 Hamas massacre in Israel was that the Holocaust was a unique event in...
Verter fun der Vokh – Tu BiShvat
Tu BiShvat: דער חמישה־עשׂר(־בשבֿט); דער ט״ו בשבֿט
New year of the trees: דאָס נײַ֜יאָר פֿון די ביי֜מער; דער ראש־השנה־לאילנות
seven species: זיבן מי֜נים
wheat: דער ווייץ
barley: (דער גערשט, ־ן; פּע֜רלגרויפּן (ל״ר
grape: די (ווײַ֜נ)טרויב, ־ן; דאָס טרײַ֜בעלע, ־ך
fig:...
Talking trees
I remember once teasing a friend whose birthday is on Tu B’Shevat, the New Year for Trees. I told him: “Make like a tree and grow up!”
Tu B’Shevat, literally the 15th of the Hebrew month...
Tenth of Tevet fast day to be marked amid war against Hamas
A group of Israeli Zionist Orthodox rabbis which aims to bridge the gaps between religious and secular Jews is calling for an upcoming Jewish fast day to serve as a national day of prayer,...