The Reality of Passover in the "Mock" Seder
Of all the earliest memories I have of our temple and my family's relationship to it, none has been quite as poignant as the student seders that are run every year on the days before Passover at our Hebrew School.
Book Review: The Lemon Tree
On my recent flight from Tel Aviv to London, I turned the last page of The Lemon Tree, the chronicle of a Palestinian, a Jew, and how the intersection of their lives 40 years ago profoundly touched them both.
How To Make Your Life a Blessing
Once upon a time, a wise man met with a king. The king challenged the man with a riddle. He said, "In my hands is a small bird. Is it alive or dead?" The wise man paused and looked down.
Wandering the Wilderness in the Sunshine of Sedona
I was taught that our Israelite ancestors wandered for forty years in the wilderness as punishment for remaining tied to slavery. When offered the opportunity at Kadesh-Barnea to enter into the Promised Land, they lost faith in God and followed the fearful advice of the ten spies.
Am I a Slave? (#BlogExodus, Day 3)
To whom or what am I a slave?
The question is on my mind as I clean for Passover. The evidence lies before me, in trails of crumbs.
Pe’ah and the Truth Behind Block Grants
As the House and the Senate release and mark up their budgets this week, there’s a lot of jargon being tossed around. You may have heard that the House-proposed budget include “block grants” for SNAP and Medicaid. What does that mean - and why should Jews care?
Tech's Best Feature: The Off Switch
It's Friday evening. The smells of rosemary chicken and freshly-baked challah fill the house. My daughters, 3 and 9, sigh as I gently detach the iPads from their laps. One by one, our screens are powered down.