I want Passover to be a holiday my son remembers and treasures. I am determined that Passover will trump Thanksgiving, my favorite holiday as a child. I learned something important this Passover. Set low expectations when it comes to a seder and a toddler Continue reading
April 11, 2011
Children’s books by Sylvia Rouss lately have fascinated my toddler and me. As Passover approaches, we are reading Sammy Spider’s First Passover. And Sammy Spider’s First Haggadah will take center stage at our first night seder. The Littlest Frog, which pokes fun at the Pharaoh as frogs jump on him, has become a new favorite.
So how did Rouss, a Jewish preschool teacher from Los Angeles, get her start as a Jewish children’s author? … Continue reading
Jump those little froggies on Passover. We’re experimenting with some kid-friendly ideas this Passover. Think plastic hopping frogs, a little Dr. Seuss, and Sammy Spider. Continue reading
March 24, 2011
Why could this Passover be different for my family this year than last? Our son is now 3. He can speak in complete sentences. He can sing several Hebrew prayers, and he mimics well. Maybe, maybe our little boy will chant some of the Four Questions. But how far should we nudge him?
Read top 10 reasons to love Purim from the perspective of a Mom and a woman who connected to her faith much later in life. Continue reading
o roller coaster rides. No cotton candy. But as host of this month’s Jewish Book Carnival, I’m happy to bring you a wide range of posts about the Jewish literary world and Jewish writing in general. You’ll find whimsy, poignancy, deep thought about writing about faith, book reviews and even a bit of travelogue about the Jerusalem International Book Fair. Continue reading
Most mourners share a common experience: The realization of how much our loved ones miss by not being there. On the 25th anniversary of my brother’s death, I write what he missed. I cannot, of course, list everything. This is just a taste. Continue reading
Ignorant of my faith, I could not turn to Judaism when my brother died 25 years ago. Ritual was not a part of my upbringing, and it lingered in the shadows through my 20s and most of my 30s. Only in the last decade have I started to follow the path that Judaism sets for mourners. Jewish ritual now smooths salve on the long-ago wound. Continue reading
Next week, on March 1st, a date that will always unnerve me, I mark the 25th anniversary of my brother’s death. This is the first in a series of three posts I will write as March 1 approaches. Today: So many mourners do not understand the power of a death’s anniversary – until it hits them. Continue reading
As a teen, I cringed when I was forced to listen to a Christian youth band lead the audience in songs praising Jesus at a public school assembly. But as an adult, when the choice is mine, hearing music of other faiths can bring me to tears. I may not understand all of the words. What moves me is hearing others sing from the soul.
A few weeks ago, I was both participant and observer during the sixth annual Lexington Choral Festival. The name of the festival is a bit of … Continue reading
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