By Ambassador (ret.) Yoram Ettinger, “Second Thought: a US-Israel initiative” Based on ancient Jewish sages, October 10, 2019, https://bit.ly/2OBJ3Nw More on Sukkot and other Jewish holidays: http://bit.ly/137Er6J 1. US-Israel special ties are highlighted by Columbus Day (October 14, 2019), which is always celebrated around Sukkot (October 13-20, 2019). According to “Columbus Then and Now” (Miles Davidson, 1997, p. 268), Columbus […]

CLIFTON PARK –At 10 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 13, children of all ages are invited to a Sukkot Art Fest at Clifton Park Chabad, 495 Moe Rd. Developed in partnership with the Pop-Art Rabbi, Rabbi Yitzchok Moully, the program will use street art as a lens for creating understanding and unity, according to Rabbi Yossi Rubin. Children will learn about […]

BY SHANNON SARNA (The Nosher via JTA)  – Yom Kippur is one of the most important days on the Jewish calendar. For many Jews, fasting and being in synagogue is the focus of the day. Fasting is not easy, nor is it for everyone — some people cannot fast because they are pregnant, breastfeeding or have a medical condition. Or […]

By SHIRA ZEMEL (Kveller via JTA) – Like so many of you, I’m a working person trying to juggle it all — my kid, my job and, you know, my life. For the High Holidays, I was inspired to write a working parents’ version of the Ashamnu, an alphabetic acrostic of our collective transgressions, which is part of the public […]

By Mayim Bialik LOS ANGELES (JTA) — In the Reform synagogue I was raised in, they taught us a song around the Jewish New Year: Let’s be friends. Make amends. Now’s the time to say I’m sorry. Let’s be friends. Make amends. Please say you’ll forgive me. For the 10 days of teshuvah, it’s time to make up; time to […]

By JULIE MATLIN MONTREAL (JTA) – Picking through gefilte fish in the kosher department, searching for the freshest packages, I think of my Grandma Fanny. She made her gefilte fish from scratch, lovingly combining the cod, whitefish, pike and whatever other secret ingredients she threw in that made it so good. “This is delicious,” my brother’s roommate remarked one year. […]

BY BEATA ABRAHAM (JTA via Kveller) – I can’t help but wonder why Hallmark and the retail world at large haven’t co-opted the Jewish New Year. True, while there may “only” be some 5 million to 7 million Jews in the U.S. (depending on who’s counting), Rosh Hashanah is a particularly important holiday on the Jewish calendar. Many Jews spend […]

By PENNY SCHWARTZ NEW YORK CITY (JTA)  – A Rosh Hashanah apple cake bake-off fit for reality television and another installment in the Scarlet and Sam series from the award-winning author Eric A. Kimmel are among the highlights in the crop of new High Holiday books for children. Six engaging reads for kids of all ages seize the spirit of the […]

By Ambassador (ret.) Yoram Ettinger, “Second Thought: a US-Israel Initiative” Based on ancient Jewish Sages, https://bit.ly/2mOFl7g More on Rosh Hashanah and other Jewish holidays: http://bit.ly/137Er6J 1. The conventional meaning of the two Hebrew words Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, is: the beginning (Rosh in Hebrew) of the year (Shanah in Hebrew). The evening of September 29, 2019 will launch […]

By JESSICA HALFIN Rosh Hashanah menus, while traditional and delicious, can also get a little boring if kept the same year after year. With Israeli food trending across the globe, now is a perfect time to add some authentic Israeli flavors to your holiday. We have gathered five exclusive recipes from some of Israel’s top chefs: from a whole roasted […]