I was a member of Temple Judea, a reform synagogue in Tarzana, California, for twenty-five years. Even after a virus robbed me of most of my hearing and forced me out of my tenured sixth grade teaching assignment, I stayed a temple member. Though I couldn’t understand a word of the rabbi’s sermons or capable…
Aristotle explained that the best way to live our lives is to treat others the way we want to be treated. Aristotle reasoned that if we all lived by this Golden Rule, we wouldn’t need government. Two hundred years later Rabbi Hillel, a Jewish sage, was asked to explain the Torah while standing on one…
Dear Pop, Last year I was invited to my first Passover Seder at a home in Encino. I really enjoyed myself as everyone read from the Haggadah, the spiritual text, but that matzah. Why do Jews eat that tasteless, flour/water flatbread for eight days and why do some Jews have two Seders? Curious Christian Dear…
Passover, the Jewish celebration of the Exodus, begins Friday evening, April 19, 2019 with the first Seder, and ends Saturday evening, April 27. This is the time when Jews throughout the world remember the years their ancestors were slaves in Egypt and escaped under the leadership of Moses. Carol Meyers, an archeologist and professor…
Celebrating New Year on January 1 is a relatively new trend. New Year’s Day, a civil event and a date not fixed by any natural seasonal marker, was first celebrated by the Romans. They picked this date to honor their god Janus, the god of all beginnings. A double-faced head represented Janus with…
Jews have lived in the United States since colonial times celebrating Chanukah along with their other holidays. In this article you’ll see how Chanukah has inspired one of America’s greatest leaders, General George Washington. On December 19, 1777 General Washington and his Continental Army arrived at Valley Forge. Many of the General’s…
Last week Jews around the world celebrated Rosh HaShanah, the Jewish New Year. And this week, starting Tuesday evening, they will celebrate Yom Kippur, the day of atonement. Many schools throughout the country are closed for these holidays. What universal message does these days have for all of us—Jews and non-Jews? On Rosh HaShanah the…
Dear Pop, I’m planning a holiday party for my third grade class. I’m including traditional Christmas treats like candy canes, cranberry sauce, roast turkey, and eggnog (non-alcoholic). What are a few traditional Chanukah foods I could add to our holiday feast? Curious Teacher Dear Curious Teacher, On Chanukah Jews consume foods cooked in oil…
Dr. Bob Rich tells the story of his mother, Aniko Stern, in an extraordinary biography about a remarkable woman who lived an exceptional life. Rich takes his readers to 1936 Hungary prior to the Holocaust, as young Aniko falls in love with her future husband, Tibor, and trains to become a bookbinder. The author does…
Dear Pop, What is this with Jews? First you celebrate the New Year with Rosh Hashanah. Fine. Then you ask God and your family, friends, and colleagues to forgive your sins on Yom Kippur. That’s cool. Now I’m told there’s another holiday after that. Don’t you guys ever work? Please tell me about this Sukkoth….