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Habari Gani? How My Family is Melding Kwanzaa and Hanukkah Customs
As we each shared some favorite holiday memories, my partner asked, “So what does each candle of Hanukkah symbolize?” Puzzled, I asked him to explain what he meant. “You know, like for Kwanzaa.”
Hanukkah Reconsidered: A Split in the Jewish Soul
I grew up loving this holiday – until I learned the dark side and felt like a kid discovering that there’s no Santa Claus. It turns out Hanukkah is, in part, a tale of Jew vs. Jew.
Reclaiming the Public Square with Hanukkah Lights
According to Rashi, we light Hanukkah candles to “publicize the miracle.” What exactly is the miracle we’re publicizing – and what’s the best way for us to do so today?
Stories We Tell: The Importance of an Etrog (Etrog as Big as a Horse)
Isaac’s favorite holiday was Sukkot, and his favorite part of Sukkot was the etrog. He always bought the biggest etrog he could afford, and he dreamed of even bigger ones. One year he had saved up for the biggest and most beautiful etrog, and on his way to buy it, he saw a man crying on the side of the road. What happened next? Rabbi Mark Kaiserman retells the story. For a similar version of this story, see So What? in “The Jewish Story Finder: A Guide to 668 Tales Listing Subjects and Sources” by Sharon Barcan Elswit.
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My Jewish Manic Episode
Mania can be challenging. Normally, it’s fairly easy to act properly and lawfully. But when much of your brain is malfunctioning, it can be difficult, if not impossible.
Remembering My Mom and Making Her Legacy a Blessing
Planning to offer brief remarks before Kaddish for my mother, I found it much harder to summarize her life than it had been for my father four years earlier.
Cakes and Miracles: A Purim Tale
Even though Hershel can no longer see, he remembers what things looked like before he lost his sight - and creates beautiful shapes from his mother’s hamentashen dough. His cookies earn him a compliment and a possible future job from the town baker.
Teach (and Practice) a New Jewish Value Each Night of Hanukkah
Assign a different Jewish value each one day of Hanukkah and plan appropriate activities for your family. The idea of activities is not simply doing for doing’s sake, but doing for the sake of learning. Be sure to reflect and talk afterward!
On the Other Hand: Ten Minutes of Torah - Podcast Transcripts
Tune in weekly to hear Rabbi Rick Jacobs, President of the Union For Reform Judaism, offer divrei Torah (insights into the weekly Torah portion) to help open up Jewish thought and its contemporary influence on your life.
15 Jewish Recipes for a Soup-er Cozy Winter
Survive the last of the cold temperates with these recipes for tasty, Jewish-inspired soups. Spring, we're ready for you!