holidays

Drawn to the Light

One of my favorite poets, a slam poet named Vanessa Hidary, asks, in one of her remarkable pieces in which ...

My Jewish Son’s Love of Christmas

My wife and I are a multiracial couple. She’s Black. I’m White. Our 4-year-old son is biracial.My wife grew up ...

Celebrating Hanukkah… Even If You Don’t Celebrate Hanukkah

The holiday spirit is here, and I’ll be celebrating Hanukkah this week to its fullest. My family will pause to ...

Modern Maccabees: An African Hanukkah Story

This year, Hanukkah has special meaning for the Abayudaya Jews of Uganda. Hanukkah is not a major holiday like Shabbat or ...

It’s Thanksgiving, But What if One Doesn’t Feel Thankful?

Happy Thanksgiving.Now, let’s get real: Some don’t feel thankful today. We might feel like the turkeys got us down. We might feel burdened ...

For My Camper, Ezra Schwartz

As I approached the Temple Sinai of Sharon, Massachusetts the words of King David’s Psalms could be heard from the ...

Hanukkah Recipe from Greece: Bunuelos (Doughnuts) with Honey

How to give your Hanukkah a multicultural Greek flavor

Thanksgiving, Hanukkah and Making Holidays Our Own

When is Hanukkah 2015? Click here to find out!Thanksgiving is coming, and Hanukkah is just around the corner. The holidays ...

Of Challah-ween, Havdalah-ween and Yaakov Lanterns

If you’re reading this post during October, it’ll soon be Halloween – that great Jewish holiday.Yes, you read that right. ...

The Spirituality of Just Hanging Out (Shemini Atzeret Edition)

Sunday night (October 4, 2015) begins Shemini Atzeret, the last festival in the summer/fall Jewish holiday cycle. For many moderns, ...