The Holiday Ahead Tu Bishvat (many spellings, same sounds) will begin next Monday at sundown. This holiday is much more widely embraced and celebrated by a younger generation for it’s environmental focus. Tu Bishvat Seder Many years ago I attended my first Tu Bishvat seder led by Claire Sherman, daughter of the legendary Berkeley Jewish…
Read More »Jewish Learning
Start 2008 by doing something for yourself
Here it is – 2008! Let’s make the most of it! Do something for your relationshipFor starters I am going to recommend that you participate in an interfaith couples discussion group. Call me right now and let’s talk about it. You’ll look at who you each are, improve your communication, and sort out issues that…
Read More »Jewish Chicken Farmers
I have a soft spot in my heart for chickens. Dumb as they are, my grandmother had chickens, my mother had chickens and yes, I had chickens. They made for very educational pets. I received this notice: In case you missed it earlier, we are pleased that “A Home on the Range: The Jewish Chicken…
Read More »Make Latkes this Weekend
(picture from my friend, Linda.) Last night my son got home at 11pm and asked, “Why aren’t we eating latkes?” I didn’t bother to answer that question; he’s seventeen now and says such things. But let’s face it, coming home on a weekday night and whipping up latkes is not so easy. The weekend is…
Read More »Learn by watching Jewish Movies
Learning by watching can be a lot of fun. Why not learn while watching a movie? I got my rabbinic student friend to turn away from the homework for awhile to give me a list of movies. Movies for learning about Judaism Judaism is not just a religion. It is a culture, an ethnicity, a…
Read More »When the student is ready
(Yoga class at synagogue) I have always liked these two teachings: “Make a teacher for yourself and acquire for yourself a companion.” Pirkei Avot/The Ethics of our Fathers 1:6 When the student is ready, the teacher will appear. Zen proverb Haven’t you notice that once you become interested in something new – a word, an…
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