Green Lentil and Bulgur Salad with Hazelnuts
Enjoy bulgur paired with small, green French lentils and hazelnuts to create a very elegant and nutritionally balanced dish.
Chicken Fesenjan with Walnuts and Pomegranate Syrup
This very famous Persian dish is considered a festive dish served for important occasions.
Moroccan Chicken Kebabs
Whether served as part of an assortment of mezes, or small plates, or laid on a bed of couscous as part of a Moroccan meal, kebabs can be found throughout the Middle East and North Africa.
Ottoman Watermelon and Olive Salad
For almost three thousand years there has been a Jewish presence in the region of the world now associated with Turkey.
Preparing for the Days of Awe
During the year I spent studying in Jerusalem as a rabbinic student, it was impossible to escape the upcoming High Holy Days.
We Get to Be Jewish
Growing up the child of a Jew-by-choice, everything about Judaism was a choice for us. For my mother, Judaism was a gift. She felt very proud to count herself among the Jewish people. She felt blessed to have the opportunity to do Jewish things.
What an Atheist Belgian Musician Taught Me about Judaism
As a teenager, I would sit on my bedroom floor listening to old records of Belgian singer-songwriter, poet, and performer Jacques Brel. I didn’t need to keep a journal, because his lyrics wove together everything I felt at the time. Brel had a fire within, and his anger, longing, passion, and truth blazed through every word he sang. His music, raw and real, transformed and fed my soul; it informed and shaped who I am today.
The Music of Avinu Malkeinu
In the game “Truth-or-Dare,” I choose “truth” nearly every time. I’m not much of a dare-taker. Thus, if you and I were playing “Special Edition Truth-or-Dare: High Holy Days,” I would confess that the prayer Avinu Malkeinu provides me with both my second-favorite liturgical moment and my second-greatest pet peeve of the year’s liturgy. (Note: Even though I may have to repent for it, I will leave you in suspense about my favorite liturgical moment and my greatest liturgical pet peeve. Also, “Special Edition Truth-or-Dare: High Holy Days” is fictional, although I hereby declare copyright in the event Mattel or Hasbro comes knocking at my door.)