Galilee Diary: Rainy day
Tu Bishvat: Doing Something About It.
I consider myself an environmentalist. I write about the earth, think about the earth, care about the earth. I wrote my rabbinical thesis partly on Judaism and the environment, and I helped found en environmental advocacy committee in my synagogue.
Every Tu BiShvat Is a Second Chance
Tu BiShvat: How Israel Has Planted New Seeds in the Jewish Soul
grogger
"Noisemaker" (Hebrew); used to drown out Haman's name during the M'gillah reading on Purim.
hamantaschen
Triangle-shaped pastries commonly filled with apricot jam or poppyseed spread (or other fillings) and eaten on Purim; the shape represents Haman's hat or ears
m'gillah
"Scroll;" One of the five m'gillot (plural) in the Bible: Esther, Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentation and Ecclesiastes.
mishloach manot
"Sending of portions" (Hebrew). Baskets of sweets and other foods exchanged among friends on Purim.
Purim
"Lots" (Hebrew). Holiday that commemorates Queen Esther's actions to save the Jews of Persia from death; marked by a festive reading of the story, contained in the Scroll of Esther.