Rio Roots: On Being Jewish in Brazil
My grandparents came to Brazil from Europe in the 1920s, and my parents were born in Brazil. My mother's Brazilian roots were in the northern state of Maranhão, which had a very small Jewish community.
Shabbat and the Law of Unintended Consequences
Seeing Through the Darkness: Inside Charlottesville’s Synagogue One Week Later
May we continue to be inspired by Congregation Beth Israel to turn darkness into light, to turn fear into resolve, to turn xenophobia into acceptance, and to turn hatred into hope.
Tricks, Treats, and Tradition: Being an American Jew on Halloween
Picture this: The setting was a dining room on the East Coast on Friday, October 31st, sometime in the late 1990s. It was dinnertime, and the father of the family was seated at the head of the table while the mother scurried back-and-forth between the kitchen and the dining room.
Finance Free Friday Nights: How Shabbat Can Help Ease Weekday Anxiety
Our Plugged-In Shabbat
As in many families, we found that the grip of electronics in the lives of our children was becoming tighter. This was not a good thing. In the mornings, our children would claim that they were not hungry for breakfast so they could watch TV.
How My Son Helped Me Re-Imagine Shabbat
Shabbat is an ever-evolving practice. When things are easy, I have a regular Shabbat practice and rituals that I practice every week, providing a Shabbat that is full of rest. Before 2011, I had Shabbat figured out.
Roast Chicken, South African-Style
This adaptation of Katie Osrin’s roast chicken - a family favorite - includes potatoes, apples, and ginger.
Shabbat-in-Training
By no plan of our own, our Jewish family took a different Shabbat journey. We went from being Shabbat participants with limited understanding of this sacred day to becoming encouraging facilitators that could expose the fun and joy of Shabbat to young children and their families.