Habari Gani? How My Family is Melding Kwanzaa and Hanukkah Customs
How Legos Turned Into a New Jewish Tradition for My Family
I consider myself a dedicated yet anxious Jewish mom. I’m dedicated because I would like my children to have a Jewish upbringing that connects them to our collective stories, history, and values – and I’m anxious because I’m never quite sure whether I’m accomplishing that goal.
Hanukkah Gift Tree: A Family Craft Project
What happens on each night of Hanukkah?
Two blessings are chanted or recited every night of Hanukkah. The first is a blessing over the candles themselves. The second blessing expresses thanks for the miracle of deliverance. A third blessing—the Shehecheyanu prayer, marking all joyous occasions in Jewish life—is chanted or recited only on the first night.
Teach (and Practice) a New Jewish Value Each Night of Hanukkah
A Tri-Faith Holiday Celebration in Israel
In the early 1990s, Haifa instituted an annual cultural event, “Festival of Festivals,” to celebrate Jewish, Christian, and Muslim holidays falling during the winter season.
A Sustainable Hanukkah
“A great miracle happened there,” we say, as we spin the Hanukkah dreidel each year while eating latkes fried in oil. But what was “the miracle” of Hanukkah? Our tradition recounts more than one.
8 Ideas for Celebrating Hanukkah with Teens
Oy Tannenbaum!
It was over brunch on our fourth date when I told him, "This can't go anywhere...I’m Jewish and you’re not." After years of Jewish camp, Hebrew school and lectures from my parents, I was fairly certain that the eleventh commandment was “Thou shalt meet a nice Jewish boy, get married and have beau
The Hidden History of "I Have a Little Dreidel"
Samuel E. Goldfarb penned “I Have a Little Dreidel”, while his older brother composed “Shalom Aleichem.” To use a Christian equivalent, it would be like having one brother write “Jingle Bells” and another compose “Silent Night.”