Dear Jew in the City- I heard something about blessing the first buds of a tree. That’s really neat. But when and why are we supposed to do this? Sincerely, Tree Hugger   Dear Tree, The Sages instituted brachos (blessings) to be recited for a number of reasons. We recite brachos when performing mitzvos, […]

  As we begin our preparations for the most involved Jewish holiday of the year, we couldn’t help but get a little excited about these fun, exciting, handy and delicious Pesach products! From the beautiful Ibex Designs hand-painted kriyas yam suf (splitting of the sea) table runner, to the drool-inducing innovation of Manischewitz’s S’more Matzo […]

  Fleishik’s Raises the Question — Is a Deli a Deli If it Doesn’t Serve Rye Bread? Fleishik’s Sandwiches, Nosh and Whiskey opened this week in LA to utter madness, with lines of people eager for kosher sandwiches forming out the door. It’s so crazy that the owners are actually reducing the hours of operation […]

  Revelio! Hogwarts Haggadah Ready — Just In Time For Passover Rabbi Moshe Rosenberg of Queens, New York is set to release his “Unofficial Hogwarts Haggadah” within the next two weeks. The haggadah, the book used as a companion to the Passover seder, will include explanations of the Seder rituals and texts through a Harry […]

I’m not one of those DIY people. I’m creative, but most of the time, I simply can’t be bothered. I’d rather pay someone to DITFM (do it for me!) But when Purim comes around, I get a little crazy – crazy INSPIRED – that is. It started off several years ago with the Shushan Times […]

500 Years After Being Wiped Out, Sicilian Jewish Life is Reborn A vibrant community was expelled from Sicily under the Spanish Inquisition in 1493. Residents are rediscovering their hidden roots today thanks to the dedication of a new shul and an increasing number of resources. Stunning Court Decision Approves Passover Punishment The U.S. Court of […]