Galilee Diary: Winter
It is life we want, no more and no less than that, our own life feeding on our own vital sources, in the fields and under the skies of our homeland, a life based on our own physical and mental labors; we want vital energy and spiritual richness from this living source.
Leading a Passover Seder: The Freedom to be Creative!
I do not have enough fingers and toes on which to count the various kinds of Passover seders I have participated in or led. So many have been close to my heart, building and reinforcing my Jewish identity year after year.
A Season to Remember the Hungry
Carton upon carton of matzah greeted me as I entered the grocery store this morning.
At Tu BiShvat, Digging for Spiritual Growth
While my neighbors were putting their Christmas trees to the curb, in what seems like a ritual of replacement, I was preparing to plant for Tu BiShvat.
Those Who Plant Will Reap: A Tu BiShvat Lesson
Tu BiShvat is a reminder that we spend our lives planting seeds. Time and effort are needed for our efforts to bear fruit. Wait patiently. One day, like the seed, we will be blessed.
Did the Plagues and Other Passover Miracles Really Happen?
Here is what I consider as the Passover seder unfolds every year.
Why is This Night Different? Ending Slavery in Our Time
The Jewish people have a special connection to the curse of slavery and to its eradication. At the heart of our history is the Exodus.
“Avadim hayinu – We were slaves,” the Torah teaches.
Next Year, May We All Be Free
This year we are slaves. Next year, may we all be free.” (Haggadah, “Ha Lachma Anya”)
Making Everyone Feel Comfortable at Your Holiday Dinner
Let it Go: A Pesach Reflection
I choose to believe that we all have been enslaved at some point in our lives. Perhaps we have been chained to our fears, worries, and doubts. We may have faced addictions, coped with hardship, and sunk to the lowest depths of all that keeps us down.