A Jew may ask their spouse to agree to have a “Jewish” home. But what does that mean? To a non-Jewish loved one it may mean simply that some of the people in the house say they are Jews. But our partners deserve a more in-depth answer. One Jew may say, a Jewish home has…
Read More »Jewish holidays at home
Hands-on Judaism: Jewish Greeting Cards
Are you a crafter? Let’s do something fun and Jewish! DIY Judaism: Jewish Greeting Cards Hallmark shops don’t have cards for Rosh Hashanah or Sukkot. When it comes to the December holidays, can Jews send greeting cards in December? Should they be Chanukah cards? Can they send Christmas cards? What about solstice cards or those…
Read More »Tu B’Av – a holiday of love
Tu B’Av, the 15th of Av, is a minor holiday with few customs. In modern times it has become a sort of Jewish Valentine’s Day in Israel. You can read a traditional view of the holiday here. To add some romance to the day my friend, Faith Kramer, came up with two recipes that are…
Read More »A Non-Jewish Mother Reflects on Raising Jewish Children
In January 2014 my Mixed and Matched column addressed the concerns a Jewish Dad had about his wife’s ‘failure’ to raise the kids Jewish. Many people reacted to the article with some anger at his failure to take responsibility for raising his own children. But some non-Jewish spouses had other thoughts. One non-Jewish mother had…
Read More »Pumpkin Challah – it’s not just for Thanksgiving!
With all the hype about Thanksgiving and Hanukkah overlapping I decided to try making a pumpkin challah. I was a bit suspicious since I love pumpkin and wasn’t sure it would be good as bread. But boy was I wrong! IT IS DELICIOUS! Here’s the recipe – as I modified it to be a better…
Read More »DIY Judaism: Let’s Make Challah!
No previous experience necessary! Everyone loves the smell of baking bread or the taste of warm homemade bread from the oven. Do you wish you could make delicious challah for Shabbat, but don’t consider yourself a baker or are short on time? Join us in the kitchen, and we’ll quickly put your mind at ease….
Read More »