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How We’re Creating a Family Tradition of Charitable Giving
According to Jewish tradition, tzedakah is part of our obligation to help repair the world. Making charitable contributions helps others, and in doing so, it also helps me and my sons.
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.”
Sh'mini Atzeret and Simchat Torah: History
As Sukkot comes to an end, we encounter additional special days in the Jewish calendar: Sh’mini Atzeret and Simchat Torah
History: The Hanukkah Story
Although according to Jewish custom Hanukkah is considered a “minor” Jewish festival, today it ranks—along with Passover and Purim—as one of the most beloved Jewish holidays, full of light and joy and family celebration.
Teaching Children about Asking Forgiveness (Slicha)
Spilled cereal? “Sorry!” Broken bongos? “Oops!” Overturned plant? “Sorry!” Stolen comic book? Accusations fly and tears fall as the cloud playhouse and Plony home confront the chaos of careless apologies and misplaced blame. A laser beam trap and giant basketball magically help Rafi and Ben learn that sometimes just saying sorry isn’t enough.
Sh'mini Atzeret and Simchat Torah: Customs and Rituals
The symbolic message of the customs associated with Simchat Torah emphasize that the Torah represents our heritage and history, and links Jews to each other over many generations.
Hanukkah: Customs and Rituals
Learn about the music, rituals, and food associated with the celebration of Hanukkah.
Make the Most of the L'Taken Experience
Interested helping your students get the most out of their time at L'Taken? Use these resources before, during, and after your trip to D.C. to enrich the experience of your students.
Rationale
Depth and meaning in Jewish learning is necessary to reduce the staggering rates of post-b’nei mitzvah dropout. We believe that a root cause of these challenges is the perception that b’nei mitzvah celebrations are like graduation ceremonies.
Tu BiShvat: Customs and Rituals
The Jewish mystics of the 17th century, the Kabbalists, created a special ritual—modeled after the Passover seder—to celebrate God's presence in nature. Today in modern Israel, Tu BiShvat has become a national holiday, a tree planting festivaTu BiShvat is not mentioned in the Torah. Scholars believe the holiday was originally an agricultural festival, corresponding to the beginning of spring in Israel. But a critical historical event helped Tu BiShvat evolve from a simple celebration of spring to a commemoration of our connection to the land of Israel. After the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 C.E. and the exile that followed, many of the exiled Jews felt a need to bind themselves symbolically to their former homeland. Tu BiShvat served in part to fill that spiritual need. Jews used this time each year to eat a variety of fruits and nuts that could be obtained from Israel. The practice, a sort of physical association with the land, continued for many centuries.l for both Israelis and Jews throughout the world