As we move into the last weekend of Hanukkah, when lots of families are planning parties and gatherings, let’s share: what are the best Hanukkah menorahs, recipes, and adventures that you discovered this season? For us, a F.I.N.D is a Fabulous. Intriguing. New-to-me. Discovery. Gecko Menorah We discovered this adorable gecko menorah at FairTradeJudaica.com that simply tickled our grandsons! (In 2016, we will do a full post about this wonderful organization.) What amazed me was that our 3-year-old knew it was a gecko when he pulled it out of the box! One note: we learned right away … [Read more...]
Hanukkah Gift of Music For You
Wow! Rabbi Judy Caplan Ginsburgh is offering us the special Hanukkah present of a 50% discount on her lovely CD, “Boker Tov, Laila Tov.” Translation: Good Morning, Good Night. With 19 favorite Hebrew, English and Yiddish songs for families, the CD features a host of upbeat, playtime, energizing songs, like Kum Bachur Atzayl (Wake Up, Lazy Boy), and softer, slower songs, including a truly beautiful version of Shalom Rav. The insert includes the words, which I find incredibly helpful. My faves? An upbeat version of Bim Bam (Shabbat welcome song), Hokey Pokey Hebrew Style (I think my … [Read more...]
My Hanukkah Gift to You
Yes! We are just a month away from Hanukkah 2015! As my thank you for the pleasure of your company on our JewishHolidaysInABox journey, I’m giving away our Celebrate Hanukkah: How to Light Up Your Holiday (regularly $4.97). And if you are already an old pro with celebrating Hanukkah, download the e-book to pass along to a friend who might value it. You will learn how to get the most family fun out of this eight-night festival, along with five-minute ways to decorate your home with Hanukkah spirit using materials you already have. Learn how to: Answer questions about Hanukkah … [Read more...]
A Personal Journey into Intermarriage
Intermarriage is a word that can be freighted with lots of emotion. “Did she marry a Jew?” “Are they raising the kids Jewish?” “Is he going to convert?” Jane Larkin shares her personal journey in “From Generation to Generation: A story of intermarriage and Jewish continuity.” In the process, she offers us much to think about, regardless of our own family’s configurations. And she gives the kinds of intimate details that help us truly grasp her reality. Like the dread she felt on awakening one morning and realizing that she had chosen the wrong husband, for the wrong reasons (the first … [Read more...]
No Sukkah? No Worries.
Huge thanks to Jane Larkin for this wonderful post! See her bio below. Judaism is filled with many rituals and symbols that connect us to Jewish life past and present. But while beautiful, these traditions can also hinder our observance by making an absence of the right “equipment” an easy excuse for not celebrating certain holidays. Sukkot is one celebration that falls into this category. It’s joyous and fun. It’s also important. We’re commanded by the Torah to celebrate it. But many non-Orthodox Jews don’t because there are significant “barriers to entry.” Most homes don’t own a … [Read more...]
