Celebrating December Holidays with My Interfaith, Interracial, Multicultural Family
I get asked a lot if I’m “half.” Often, people are referring to my mixed Caucasian and Asian American heritage, their curiosity sparked by my Korean last name on my Jewish business card or by whatever other seeming tip arises on a given day.
Looking Toward 2015 in Israel: "We've Come to Fight the Dark"
I have spent all day today running errands in Jerusalem. I went in and out of shops. In and out of offices. And the inescapable conclusion is that the Jewish state is completely enthralled with Hanukkah.
Anticipating the Return of the Sun
Human beings have been paying attention to the ebb and flow of daylight for a very, very long time. Stonehenge, that iconic circle of stone slabs in Great Britain, was built sometime between 3000 BCE and 2000 BCE.
Thoughts of Hanukkah Applesauce and a Bygone Era
Beyond the rusty orange leaves, the sky hugging the orchard flourished in pastel blue – a hue that surprisingly didn’t define my mood while stretched out upon the grass, head nestled in interlocked palms that sweet October day.
Green Kislev: A Hanukkah Conservation Challenge
Welcome to December and the Jewish month of Kislev!
There’s No “Right Way” to Celebrate the Holidays
According to Tevye from "Fiddler on the Roof," it's not the Shema that's the watchword of our faith.
It's "Tradition!"
Yes, traditions matter, but at what cost?
How Can We Deal with the So-Called "December Dilemma"?
The challenges and contradictions of being a Jew in America are never more obvious than in the month of December. Christmas is unavoidable from before Thanksgiving until well after New Year's. Every year, I wonder how much I should participate in the hoopla.
The Day Our Daughter Killed Santa: A Cautionary Tale
One day after a Girl Scout Brownie meeting, my wife received a call from an irate mom accusing our third-grader of ruining her daughter’s childhood: “Mimi announced in front of all the girls that there is no Santa Claus!” My wife apologized, but in Mimi’s defense, pointed out that sooner or later
My Hanukkiyot: They Light Up My Life
I love collecting hanukkiyot (menorahs). None is terribly expensive, but each one of the nearly 200 in my collection is unique.
This Hanukkah, Commit to Shaping a More Progressive Israel
Soon, Jews around the world will gather in our homes and our synagogues, even in public places – to light the hanukkiyah (menorah) and celebrate the festival of Hanukkah.