Bubbe and Zayde: Now’s the time to teach ‘di kinder’ a thing or two
“I don’t live in the past but the past lives in me.” — Sol Fineblum
For Gershon Markowitz, this time of year presents an irresistible opportunity to engage in some of his favorite activities with...
Rare archival photos document Sukkot in early years of Jewish state
In anticipation of the Sukkot holiday, Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund (KKL-JNF) is unveiling rare archival photos that capture how Sukkot was celebrated in Israel during its early years.
Among the four images, the oldest...
Lamenting, loving, leveling: A spiritual pathway through this year’s Jewish holidays
This year’s arc of holidays extending from Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur, and finally, to Simchat Torah—the one-year anniversary of Oct. 7 on the Jewish calendar—is laden with tears. How can we approach God...
Braiding in the New Year
I always love the dramatic reveal when pulling the cover off the challah on Shabbat and holidays—anticipatory eyes lighting up around the room as the beautiful bread appears in all its shiny glory in...
‘There is no king without a people’: The mystic secret of Rosh Hashanah
Nowhere in the Five Books of Moses is the holiday of Rosh Hashanah referred to with this name by which it is commonly known today. The term “Rosh Hashanah” originated in the Talmudic period,...
Rosh Hashanah jewelry offers a way to support Israel
As Rosh Hashanah approaches, a unique social enterprise in Israel is offering Jewish Americans the opportunity to support Israel and its olim communities through the purchase of handmade jewelry. Megemeria, a Jerusalem-based jewelry school and social...
A sweet taste of old meets new this Rosh Hashana
Sometimes, what’s old is new again. That certainly applies to classic Jewish recipes, many jotted down by home cooks—moms, aunts, grandmoms, great-grandmothers—who didn’t add specific measurements or even the temperatures at which to bake...
Holy Days and Holidays
MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — I suppose the etymology of the two phrases (Holy Days and Holidays) is the same, but their significance in this day and age is very different. Holidays are a time...
Two children’s books for Jewish holidays
Author Sandra Feder notes that Judaism acknowledges a duality in life: with the bitter often will come the sweet, and vice versa. “Sweet wine or grape juice is used to welcome Shabbat on Friday...
Jewish pilgrims to Uman not allowed to connect in Moldova
Thousands of Israeli pilgrims traveling to the burial site of a revered rabbi in Ukraine ahead of Rosh Hashanah next month will not be permitted to connect through Moldova and will be rerouted via...