Shehecheyanu
Recite this blessing the first time you do something each Jewish calendar year (e.g., the first night of Hanukkah when you light the menorah), and to mark joyous occasions.
Queen Esther's Jaffa Poppy Seed Tea Cake with Orange Brandy Sugar Glaze
For Purim, make this cake in miniature loaf pans and pack 2 or 3 of them in each Purim basket.
Almond and Sesame Seed Brittle
Lemon Poppy Seed No-Bake Energy Bars
These no-bake bars are a great way to pack some healthy snacks into your Purim goodie baskets!
Hanukkah: From Battleground to Festival of Lights
The Hebrew word Hanukkah means “dedication” and refers to the joyous eight-day celebration through which Jews commemorate the victory of the Maccabees over the armies of Syria in 165 B.C.E. and the subsequent liberation and “rededication” of the Temple in Jerusalem.
The Elul Mitzvah Challenge: Join In!
In Pirkei Avot, the rabbis wrote, “Mitzvah goreret mitzvah, averah goreret averah,” one mitzvah (commandment/good deed) leads to another mitzvah, and one transgression leads to another transgression.