Holiday Features
Shavuot — the elusive holiday
Hillel GoldbergMay 18, 2023
Why is Shavuot the elusive holiday? The usual answer is that Shavuot has no unique ritual. Not the matzah or the seder of Passover, not the shofar of Rosh Hashanah, not...
Omer counters — space and time
JNSMay 18, 2023
Omer counters have been a staple item of Judaica since at least the 18th century. Today, artists are reinterpreting them.
Wrenching journey — Haggadah in Ukrainian
David I. KleinApr 05, 2023
For the first time, a Passover Haggadah in Ukrainian.
AI and matzah: history and warning
JTAApr 05, 2023
The capabilities of these AIs are new and revolutionary, but the story of machines taking over human jobs is not. In Jewish history the most important story of that...
Ode to the matzah ball
Steve LipmanMar 30, 2023
PASSOVER EDITION 5783 SECTION C PAGE 15 Call it the Case of the Battling Bubbes. Friends of mine, a young couple, invited me to a Friday night Shabbos meal in […]
Chanukah house in Brooklyn is a family tradition
JTADec 22, 2022
Chanukah, commemorating the triumph of Judah Maccabee and the miracle of long-lasting oil, has plenty of heroes to celebrate. But in one Brooklyn family’s home, the...
In Ukraine, Chanukah candles are needed for heat, not just light
Steve LipmanDec 22, 2022
In the days before Chanukah, which started Dec. 18, a few men and women from two Conservative institutions in Israel traveled to the small Jewish community in...
Lemon-Ricotta Fritters alternative to sufganiyot
JTADec 08, 2022
These lemon-ricotta fritters are perfectly crisp and round. They’re so light and creamy with a hint of fresh lemon zest.
The Littons are sukkah builders extraordinaire
Steve MarkOct 13, 2022
On the day after Yom Kippur, Steven Litton is racing from Long Island, NY, to Manhattan. While much of Steven’s work has been in motion long before Yom Kippur, the...
Morocco etrogs benefit from shmita
David I. KleinOct 13, 2022
A bumper crop of etrogs is taking a more direct route to Israel this year, thanks to a historic confluence of geopolitics and religious observance.