I really enjoyed this communication from Rabbi Larry Milder of Beth Emek in Pleasanton. It’s a bit of Jewish and American history for the 4th of July. Jews have fled to many countries and in America we did indeed find a country where we are allowed to practice our tradition. What Independence Day Means to…
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Passover ends rather tamely in much of the world, but the Moroccan, and now Israeli, Jewish community do it so well! They have the holiday of Mimouna. In a burst of returning to eating yeast leavened food and drink they have a feast. It may be too late to plan such an event this year,…
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COUPLES DISCUSSION GROUP?? I want some feedback from you all. During Covid, in-person events were eliminated. Post the lockdown some folks are becoming interested in in-person programs and others would prefer a Zoom event. Zoom would allow more people to participate and I’m interested in giving it a try. I was recently asked when is…
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(Image is from www.noshartfun.com) Please don’t spend time worrying about the non-Jewish holidays you want to get rid of. Focus on making the Jewish holidays robust! Let them fill up your family’s life with warmth, celebration, ritual and good memories. I recently read an article, How to Hanukkahize other Jewish Holidays. In it the author suggests…
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IÂ love Thanksgiving. I was born on Thanksgiving Day and grew up with the story of my dad trying to take a Thanksgiving dinner to my mom in the hospital. I loved having my grandparents all arrive to enlarge our gathering. We had that canned cranberry jelly and we kids decorated our fingertips with the black…
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Halloween is a straight up pagan and Christian holiday. How do Jews and Jewish institutions reconcile its observance? First of all, many Jews don’t feel any allure emanating from this holiday. They don’t feel that it will alter their children’s investment in Judaism, nor will it impact their identity. I completely understand this perspective. In…
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