Category Archives:Jewish Holidays
Purim 2014 has Arrived share
Today the event of Purim has begun…the streets are covered with children on their way to school in costume, all the stalls in the markets are outselling their costume accessories, and those in the city will not be able to pass through without being aware that something is going on today. Purim celebrates the story […]
Purim - From Cinderella to Queen Esther share
Two very different stories have happened in Israel over the years, both of which include 3 very similar factors- Both from Sephardi Backgrounds Both events happennd around Purim Both girls went from a quiet life to being Princesses The Facts – 1928 -Tzipora Tzabari – From a Yemiite Background Tzipora rode her donkey and cart to deliver milk to the […]
Shavuot? Cheese Please! share
Shavuot, also known as the festival of Weeks, commemorates the anniversary of the day G-d gave the Torah to the people of Israel at Mount Sinai. It is the second of three major festivals with historical and agricultural significance, the other two being Passover and Sukkot. Agriculturally speaking, it commemorates the time when the first […]
The Road to Freedom: A Passover Story share
When the people of Israel took off on their journey from Egypt to the Promised Land, all they knew was that they were fleeing to the desert. They had no idea how long the journey would take, nor what danger or adventures they had in store. The only truth they knew was that they had […]
The Esther's That Matter Most share
Growing up in Israel in the 1970’s, there were 2 Esther’s in my life. There was, of course, Queen Esther that made her grand appearance once a year during the holiday of Purim. And then there was Esther Roth Shahamorov, a legendary athlete. Both women were heroes of mine. Queen Esther of the Book of […]
My Family Tree(s) share
Tu B’Shevat was always a big celebration in our home. My mother’s name was Ilana אילנה, tree in Hebrew, and she was born on Tu b’Shevat in 1937. Her birthday was always celebrated around a table filled with delicious dried fruits and nuts. My mother loved trees and even our names reflect this love. My […]
Breaking the Yom Kippur Fast share
Yom Kippur is a solemn day. A day spent asking for atonement, asking forgiveness for our sins and forgiving those we have mistreated. While I could take this time to elaborate on all this, I’ve decided to take a slightly different route. As important as it is to atone, after a 25 hour fast, my […]
Shana Tova share
My milestones are the milestones of Zionism. This picture was a new year’s greeting sent by my Grandparents, Moshe and Rachel Strasburg in 1931 to all their relatives that remained in Poland.
Rabbis and Bonfires share
Today we celebrated Lag B’Omer. For the past week, bonfires have lit the night around the country as the citizens of Israel commemorated the passing of 2nd century Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai (whether they realize it or not). Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai (Rashbi) is best known as a disciple of Rabbi Akiva and as the […]
Yom Ha'Aztmaut - Israel's Independence Day share
Happy Birthday Israel! 64 Years Young! Israel’s Independence Day is celebrated on the fifth day of the month of Iyar, which is the Hebrew date of the formal establishment of the State of Israel, when members of the “provisional government” read and signed a Declaration of Independence in Tel Aviv. The original date corresponded to […]