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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.”
Thanksgivukkah Food: The Ultimate Hybrid Holiday
It's already begun: the panicking over cooking for Thanksgiving. If you’ve looked at a Jewish calendar this year or read the myriad articles about the coincidence of millennia, you know why the excitement over Thanksgiving is more extreme this year than others: It coincides with the second night of Hanukkah.
Learn About Hanukkah Traditions with Shalom Sesame
Together with your children, watch these Shalom Sesame videos, then try the activities recommended by Reform Jewish educators.
What’s Different about High Holidays Challah?
In Pirkei Avot, Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah taught, “If there is no bread, there is no Torah; and if there is no Torah, there is no bread.” I love these words. They echo in my mind when I partake in two of my favorite almost daily activities, the study of Torah and the baking bread. On the holidays, these two passions intersect, as they have for generations of Jews, when I shape challah. The traditional shapes for challot (plural) can be Torah study on our very festival tables.
Inspired 5781: More Art, More Awe
I grew up going to services. A lot of services. I was adept at counting the ceiling tiles, reaching into the thousands as my grasp of numbers grew more sophisticated. The melodies became part of my life soundtrack; I hummed them as my mind wandered during the rabbi’s sermon.
What a Way to Start a New Year: A Rosh HaShanah Story
Dina and her family move to a new city right before Rosh HaShanah. The move brings about a set of problems — the family car breaks down, the new house is a mess and filled with unpacked boxes, and Dina’s parents aren’t able to prepare a festive holiday dinner. When the family goes to the local synagogue to celebrate Rosh HaShanah, Dina doesn’t recognize anyone and feels left out. However, the family then receives help from an unexpected source!
Learn About the Story of Hanukkah with Shalom Sesame
With your children, watch these Shalom Sesame videos to learn the story of Hanukkah. Then try the discussion ideas and activities recommended by Reform Jewish educators to further extend the lessons learned in the videos.
Celebrating Thanksgivukkah, a Once-in-a-Lifetime Holiday
This year, for the first time in history, Thanksgiving and Hanukkah will overlap, producing an anomalistic hybrid holiday that’s come to be known as Thanksgivukkah.
Celebrate Hanukkah with Shalom Sesame: Creating Olive Oil
With your kids, watch Shalom Sesame's video to learn how olive oil is made in Israel and used to light a traditional hanukkiyah. Then try the discussion ideas and activities recommended by Reform Jewish educators to extend the lessons of the video.