Tonight marks the 6th night of Hanukkah, when my family will light six candles to commemorate the holiday. We will also light candles for a second menorah in the house, in honor of the 137 hostages who are spending their Hanukkah as captives in Gaza and are obviously unable to light candles or have a menorah. What Makes Hanukkah Different This Year The week-long holiday commemorates the revolt of the Jewish Maccabees who rose up against oppressive, anti-Jewish rule. After... Read more
Yigal Yaacov is a bright blue-eyed sandy haired 12 year old boy, that lives in southern Israel. In the photos and videos shared online – his carefree, happy spirit is evident – he is silly, goofy, lovable. Like most other 12-year old boys, he enjoys playing soccer and making Tik Tok videos. As of this writing, Yigal has been held in captivity in the depths of hell for 51 days. “Don’t take me, I’m too young,” these were the last... Read more
For the past several weeks since October 7, I have woken up and gone to bed with the same clouded thoughts. Is this really real? No, it can’t be. I am a Jewish mother in the 21st Century suffering an existential crisis – one that I share with the entire Jewish population. Our Jewish world as we know it has been changed irrevocably. There was a horrific massacre against the Jewish people in Israel – murder, rape, beheadings of babies,... Read more
Unless you are living under a rock, you know that there has been a massacre of biblical proportions in Israel over the weekend, and it’s not over. It started at a music festival in Southern Israel, where hundreds of young people came to celebrate youth, freedom and the beauty of a life well lived – only to be met with a horrific scenario out of a terrible movie: Hamas terrorists infiltrated the border, in droves, to massacre and kill in... Read more
I remember one afternoon at my chiropractor’s office the assistant, who happened to be the wife of the doctor asked me a strange question. “Where can I buy kosher meat?” she asked. The question was posed from a statuesque blonde with delicate Grace Kelly features who happened to be a devout Christian. I was a bit dumbfounded, why would a Gentile want to spend more money on kosher meat when her religion did not require it? So asked her why.... Read more
Mealtimes for our family of four have always been a source of stress for me, ever since our children were small. Whether it’s the grumbling over the soup du jour, my husband’s loud criticism of our kids’ table manners, or the incessant requests to shut off the electronics while we are at the table, mealtime with the family is not something I looked forward to. As we have assumed more “traditional” roles in our home, it’s really up to me... Read more
On a recent weeknight, my mother-in-law joined me in preparation of our Passover dinner. We were expecting around 35 guests, and while each family was to bring a dish – just making sure we had the basic staples for the table proved to be a timely challenge. We made a large quantity of tehina – a staple of Israeli cuisine made from sesame paste mixed with lemon juice, garlic, seasonings, and water. After a lot of mixing by hand (sometimes... Read more
Select your answer to see how you score.
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In