Galilee Diary: Galilee encounters
Making Meaning of Tisha B’Av Through the Lens of Literature
When you have come into the land
that the Eternal your God is giving to you as a heritage,
and you have possessed it and settled there,
you shall take from among all the first fruits of the ground
that you bring forth from your land-
It’s Hard to be a Jew at Christmas, But Even Harder on Tu BiSh’vat
It is a truth universally acknowledged that it can be difficult to be Jewish at Christmas time. It has seeped into North American cultural consciousness so thoroughly that South Park even wrote a song about it, complete with trademark expletives.
Tishah B'Av
"Ninth of Av;" A traditional day of mourning the destruction of both ancient Temples in Jerusalem.
Tu BiShvat
"15th of Shevat;" New Year of the Trees; Jewish Arbor Day, which is a minor festival.
How I Teach My Kids That Being Jewish is Awesome and Awe-Filled
Last year, my pre-school-aged daughter was acutely aware that her friends and their families would be celebrating Christmas and that she wasn’t going to be a part of it.