Jewish Learning

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…

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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…

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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…

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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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Shavuot is coming

Shavuot begins next week Shavuot starts next week on Tuesday night, May 22. On that night many congregations and groups of congregations will hold late night (or all night) study sessions. It is traditional to study Torah all night on this anniversary of our receiving the Torah on Mt. Sinai. To learn more about the…

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