The Union for Reform Judaism (the umbrella group for Reform synagogues) provides a wonderful brief curriculum titled A Taste of Judaism. This 3 session class gives you a good basic understanding of the pillars of Judaism. It is free. This January Temple Israel in Alameda has received funding to offer the class. Call the synagogue…
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The Question of Santa
A mom wrote me with this question: Last year we took our preschool age daughter to celebrate Christmas with the Christian relatives. Everything went smoothly because she was so young and didn’t ask any questions. This year she knows that we are helping to celebrate her cousins’ holiday not ours, but she is asking…
Read More »Christmas for your Child
Let’s talk about Christmas for the children in an interfaith family. Let me remind you of two truths: 1. Your child is not exactly like anyone else, so you can’t duplicate another parent’s choices. 2. Your child is not so unique that you can’t learn from other parents. In today’s world there is a bonus,…
Read More »Channukah & Thanksgiving: It’s Complicated
I found this email from Rabbi Menachem Creditor of Netivot Shalom in Berkeley to be powerful and well said. I want to share it with you. Much has been made of the overlap of Channukah and Thanksgiving this year, a convergence that will not occur again for over 79,000 years. On the one hand, the…
Read More »Who doesn’t LOVE Doughnuts!
I love doughnuts and I love a good jelly – but not together. So for Hanukkah I prefer good old plain doughnuts. Powdered or Glaze! Doughnuts 2 eggs 1 cup sugar 1 cup milk 5 Tbsp. melted butter 4 c. flour 4 tsp. baking powder ½ tsp. cinnamon ½ tsp. salt Canola oil Beat eggs;…
Read More »Bimuelos (Sephardic doughnuts)
(Photo credit: Israel Jewish News blog) When Ramadan fell over Hanukkah we had some Muslim friends over. They made a fried honey cookie and I made Bimuelos! Bimuelos 2 packages yeast 1 1/3 cups warm water 1 egg ½ tsp salt 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp vanilla 1 Tbsp melted butter or margarine 3 c….
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