When you dig into your Thanksgiving turkey this year, remember that it’s not only an American tradition, and an opportunity to express gratitude for our great country, but a mitzvah. Surprised? Let me explain. The Torah, in Leviticus Chapter 7, discusses a “korban todah”—a “thanksgiving sacrifice.” The commentator Rashi explains that a person brought such […]
Don’t expect to fight over the drumstick this Thursday. With Covid-19 cases reaching record levels, most people will be celebrating Thanksgiving without a houseful of friends and family, a Turkey Day tradition. But fear not, fellow Americans. Orthodox Jews have some creative and inspiring ways to turn that Thanksgiving frown, upside down. That’s because, they’ve […]
In discussing the Sukkot holiday, a friend of mine expressed an interest in learning “how to celebrate without a sukkah and make it meaningful.” A quick search informed me that Google has answers to that question, but not ones that spoke to me – at least, not at first glance. I found several pre-pandemic articles […]
Dear Jew in the City- What is the meaning of having a birthday for trees? Thanks, Stephanie Dear Stephanie- Thanks for your question. Aside from the fact that “birthday” is something of a mistranslation, the idea of Tu b’Shevat is actually kind of a technical legal thing and not a day celebrating nature or agriculture […]
While Purim gets much of the credit for being the Jewish holiday for expressing artistic skills, Sukkos is underrated as a time of year when creativity can thrive. With many rules inherent in sukkah building, many people stick to the wood, laminate, canvas or lattice walls that are relatively easy-to-build and that meet the halachic […]
Sukkos is nearly here and if you’re like us, you just started putting up everything you’ll need to enjoy the holiday. We’re excited to try out some new lighting, bringing our celebration to a whole new level of illumination. Here are some brand new lighting ideas to take your sukkah from night to bright for […]
