Habari Gani? How My Family is Melding Kwanzaa and Hanukkah Customs
A Virtual Family Hanukkah Celebration
This year, I had an incredible Hanukkah experience with my family even though we live nowhere near each other. It all started with the realization that it’s possible to have multiple people on video chat. This sparked an idea to get the extended family together for the holiday.
Celebrating Thanksgivukkah with an Interfaith Family
Thanksgivukkah, the amazing confluence of Hanukkah and Thanksgiving, is all the rage this year.
Creating an Interfaith Extended Family: How to Be A Good In-Law
A Portrait of American Jews: Who We Are and Who We Can Be
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.
A Brief History of Hanukkah
The Hebrew word hanukkah means "dedication," and refers to the rededication of the second temple to the service of God during the successful revolt of the Maccabees against the Seleucid rulers of Syria in the second century BCE.
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?
Even During Winter Break, Every Day Is Jewish
It’s school vacation, the end of the calendar year, and for many it is family vacation time. Why write a blog entry during school vacation?
Are We Right to Blend Hanukkah and Thanksgiving This Year?
As you’ve undoubtedly heard, the Jewish calendar and the secular calendar offer a strange convergence in the United States this year as Hanukkah and Thanksgiving coincide. The Jewish media has been full of humorous articles about combined menus (like this one from Jewish cooking expert Tina Wasserman) featuring foods like latkes with cranberry sauce, and the term “Thanksgivukkah” has been coined to describe the merged holiday.