Habari Gani? How My Family is Melding Kwanzaa and Hanukkah Customs
Stop Cuts to Family Planning
Putting Down Roots: Why Our Jewish Family Needs a Yard Full of Trees
We celebrated the holiday of Tu BiShvat – the “Jewish Arbor Day” – way back in February, and we won’t celebrate it again until January. But no matter: I need to talk about the trees now.
Coming Full Circle: The NFTY in Israel Tikkun Olam Experience
Taking a Mitzvah and Making It Beautiful
During the week of Sukkot, we are instructed to read various Torah passages that reference the festival.
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?
Fostering Interfaith Understanding in the Western Galilee
A couple of years ago, my congregation Emet VeShalom’s musical ensemble, joined with volunteers from nearby Nes Ammim, a lovely Christian, European Zionist village, to hold a joint concert called “Li
The Makeshift Sukkah: An Enduring Institution Framing an Eternal Covenant
The relatively brief Torah reading for the first day of Sukkot offers a quick summary of the who, what, when, where, and why of this sacred celebration-the third and final observance in the cycle of three pilgrimage festivals.
Let Us Remember the Fragile and Precious Nature of Life
The emotional high of the Days of Awe is still an uplifting memory as Sukkot arrives. We have attempted to cleanse our souls, and if we are really honest with ourselves, we might admit that we are feeling pretty good about the experience. Ironically, perhaps we might even be feeling a bit smug.