Displaying 1 - 10 of 16
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 Stories: The Miracle of the Expanding Oil
One of the most delightful aspects of Hanukkah is observing its central mitzvah: lighting Hanukkah candles and saying the accompanying blessings. The commandment was sparked by an event that took in the 2nd century BCE.
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!
A Brief History of Latkes: Why We Really Eat Them on Hanukkah
So you think you know why we eat latkes for Hanukkah? The miracle of the oil lasting for eight days instead of one, right? Maybe. Did that really happen or did we need it to happen?
We Let Our Kids Plan Hanukkah This Year
This Hanukkah, it hit me: We can do anything. The beauty of this holiday — and especially of experiencing it amidst a global pandemic —is that we have the opportunity to make it our own.
How Social Media Helps Me Keep Track of Jewish Time
When someone asked a friend of mine what his daughter enjoys most about living in Israel, he explained that she loves the way the country’s secular rhythms synch seamlessly with religious time in a way that doesn’t happen in North America. By way of example, he described Shabbat and holidays as characterized by closed shops, quiet streets, and low-key television programming.
How to Use the URJ Reflection Tool
We recently introduced the URJ Reflection Project, a tool for the High Holidays that can be found at reflect.reformjudaism.org. Here, we share suggestions of how to use its many ideas with your congregation.
How to Turn Your Home into a Sanctuary for the High Holidays
Like our ancestors before us, we must again bring worship “inside” and create a sacred space at home while we are in front of our computers.
How to Get into the High Holidays State of Mind
It's a challenge and necessity, especially during this pandemic, to set boundaries between work time and family or personal time, between home office and home. How do we do that, emotionally?
Fun-to-Make Hanukkah Lanterns
Celebrate Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, with hanging and tabletop lanterns. Here are two fun and easy activities to do by yourself or with your family. Perhaps you'll create a new Hanukkah tradition!