Meron and other holy sites close for Lag B’Omer
This year’s Lag B’Omer celebrations in Israel will see significant changes due to the ongoing conflict with Hezbollah in the north of the country, and recent emergency measures taken by Israeli authorities.
The traditional pilgrimage...
It’s Lag B’Omer: Time to get your grill on
Lag B’Omer, which this year begins at sundown on Saturday, May 25 and ends at nightfall on Sunday, May 26, is the day between Passover and Shavuot. According to the Talmud, a plague that...
A rabbis’ conference at the seder?
What will be the single most popular question at seder tables around the world this year?
Probably the same as every year: “When do we eat?!”
Seriously speaking, have you had your fair share of questions...
The Passover seder and the plague of loneliness
Passover means a lot of things to a lot of people. It is the Jewish Thanksgiving, bringing together extended family for an unrivaled feast and lively discussion. It is a forum for sharing and...
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...