Things are definitely different here in Washington state. If you follow the news, you will consistently read about Seattle as being one of the strongest and fastest-growing Jewish communities in the country. I have little reason to doubt this fact. Except that unless I’m at our wonderful new temple in North Seattle, I could swing…
Ongoing: Club J at the Valley of the Sun JCC Provides after-school programming ranging from sports to cooking and crafts to Israeli culture and more for those in K-8. Transportation from nearby schools available. Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center, 12701 N Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. 480-634-4949 or youth@vosjcc.org, vosjcc.org. J Care at the East…
Mazelpalooza, one of the biggest parties of the year. continues to grow, with an expected turnout this month of over a thousand people. The event was first started in 1998 by the Young Leadership Division at the Federation in Phoenix. It has always been held on Christmas Eve – the perfect time to attract a…
The son of immigrants from India, Milan Chatterjee grew up deeply immersed in Indian and Hindu culture. Though he became president of the UCLA Graduate Students Association, he was apolitical. So when he was targeted by supporters of the Boycott, Divest, Sanction movement, he was very surprised but assumed the university would deal with it….
Arizona became the 48th state of the United States on February 14, 1912, making it one of the youngest states. This is also true for the Arizona State Parks system, established in 1957, which is young compared to other state park systems. Following numerous unsuccessful attempts to create a state parks system in Arizona, a…
There is a new way to travel that’s been gaining popularity in recent years. It’s called glamping – a fusion of glamorous and camping. Glamping is for those who want to experience the great outdoors, without having to be uncomfortable doing so. Apparently, it was popular internationally way before it came over to the U.S.,…
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…
