With holiday parties in abundance this month, thoughts inevitably turn to food. What should you take your hostess? Food and drink to share? Or maybe a thank you gift? A bottle of wine is always a nice choice. Why not try something a little different? Bring a festive bottle of HoneyRun Winery’s Cranberry Honeywine to…
Arizona Jewish Life’s Contributing Editor Leni Reiss asked people “What was the best Chanukah present you have received?” From precious time with family to adding to a cherished collection, here are their responses: “When I was six I got a puppy – Scotty – a black and white mixed Collie and German Shepherd. After several…
All Jewish holidays begin with a good story. Passover depicts Moses facing off against Pharaoh, and Purim features Mordechai and Esther prevailing over the wicked Haman. Chanukah boasts a particularly compelling narrative with its epic tale of freedom versus tyranny. The underdog Maccabees managing to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat and the subsequent…
For more than 2,000 years the Jewish people have kept the lights of Hanukkah shining brightly, shepherding the story of the miracle of the oil through the generations. Innumerable Hanukkah celebrations and myriad innovations in how we celebrate have graced the intervening years. I’ll admit that it takes some chutzpah to try and distill two…
The following is my free translation based on the work of my friend and teacher, Rabbi Lior Engelman. When we were children it was clear which of the Hanukkah candles was the most important: the shamash, the “helper” candle. It is the most prominent and tallest candle – it is one of a kind. The…
The Hebrew word for dreidel is sevivon, which means “thing that turns.” The classic dreidel is a four-sided spinning top made of wood, plastic or clay. Dreidels have Hebrew letters on all four sides. These letters are nun, gimel, hay and shin and stand for the saying “Nes gadol hayah sham, which means “A great…
There are lots of traditional gifts to give your loved ones during Hanukkah. But there are also some unusual ones to consider. I spent some time searching the internet for some ideas. I hope you enjoy my top picks for an especially unique Hanukkah this year. 1) The 2017 Nice Jewish Guys Calendar features an…
I remember years ago one of my sons telling his brother that the secret of reading was to “be in the book.” It was a comment I wholeheartedly believe. Books have the power to transport us to different worlds, to help us understand others’ struggles, to inspire us to explore. For all of those reasons,…
Kiss Me Kate Boutique 5039 N 44th St., Phoenix 602-840-6173 kissmekateaz.com Kiss Me Kate Boutique is a specialty boutique with many “one-of-a-kind” gift items. We feature Booty Bagz, a handbag made from cowboy boots and jewels and gorgeous pearl and crystal jewelry by Linda Pratico. Our fashions take you to casual events, professional events, or…
In the “no good deed goes unpunished” file, let’s talk about Hanukkah for a moment. Specifically, let’s talk about a group of folks so joyfully celebrating the miracle of Hanukkah that they’ve incited multiple Jewish communities, rabbis and the ACLU to sue them over their fervent commitment to publicly fulfill the mitzvah of lighting the…
