Happy Honey Jars
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.
What is the shmita or sabbatical year?
The sabbatical year, shmita in Hebrew, finds it roots in the Torah.
Why Children's Services Appeal to Me, Even When I Go Without Children
Say what you will, but I prefer the Rosh HaShanah children's service to the adult one. It's a little under an hour, and it's lighter on the lengthy recitations of the full evening service.
Border Crossings
We are at Rosh Hanikra, just meters from the Israel-Lebanon border. We go down to where the Mediterranean crashes through the caves it has carved out of the mountainside.
Celebrate Sukkot with Shalom Sesame: Learning About the Sukkah and Enjoying the Beauty of Nature
Mom's Honey Cake with Apple Confit
Honey cake is traditionally eaten for Rosh HaShanah, the Jewish New Year—the honey’s sweetness symbolizes our wishes for a sweet year. This is my mother's recipe, which she makes in Israel, freezes, and sends to me in the mail.