A Tall Tree Tale for Tu B'Shvat from Choni Hama’agel

Is there a Jewish equivalent to Rip Van Winkle? Yes and his name is Choni Hama'agal. A wise man who lived in the 1st Century BCE, Choni was famous for drawing a circle -- ma'agal --  in the ground during a terrible drought and vowing that he wouldn't step out of it until God answered his prayer for rain -- which is how Choni acquired his sur-nickname.

How does Choni parallel Rip? I certainly don't want to rain on his parade but another Choni legend, which some would dub a sleeper, puts the snooze into Choni. Actually it's a tall tree tale that is used as an explanation of why we eat carob on Tu B'Shvat.

In this fable Choni travels on a road when suddenly he sees a man planting a carob tree."How long will it take this tree to bear fruit?" he asks. "Seventy years," answers the man. Taken aback, Choni asks: "do you expect to live that long?" The man smiles. "Of course not. I'm planting this tree for my children and children's children, the same way my ancestors planted a carob tree for me."

Satisfied with the answer and hungry, Choni sits down right then and there to eat. Satiated from the food, he gets drowsy and -- you guessed it, he goes to sleep for 70 years. No one notices his state of slumber because a rock formation grows around him, hiding him from view. Sure enough when he wakes up he sees a familiar looking man picking carobs off the tree. "You mean you managed to live long enough to pick the fruit?" asks Choni. The man laughs, answering "I am the grandson of the person who planted this tree."

What's the Tu B'Shvat connection? Fruit-bearing trees are a sign of continuity. The New Year of Trees, Tu B'Shvat, celebrates our continual attachment to the land. That's wisdom worth handing down to your next generation(s).

Photo credit

For North African Jews the 7th Hanukkah Candle Marks the Beginning of the Daughters Festival

Who says that Hanukkah is only about miracles and heroes? This holiday is marked by heroines as well, which is why North African Jews have tapped the 7th night of Hanukkah as the beginning of Chag Ha'Banot --  the Daughters Festival.

While in the West the story of Hannah and her seven sons is a favorite tale attached to Hanukkah, Jews coming from Algeria, Libya, Tunisia and Morocco place the focus on Judith. The Heroine of the Book of Judith -- a book in the Apocrypha bearing the same status as the Book of Maccabees -- Judith single- handedly saved her people by killing Holofernes, the Assyrian general determined to destroy Judith's home town of Bethulia. Her victory is associated with the Maccabean revolt, to the point that she is depicted on many medieval menorahs.

The North African tradition of Chag Ha'Banot coincides with Rosh Chodesh Tevet. It's a logical combination since traditionally, Rosh Chodesh is a holiday associated with women. The difference is that while Rosh Chodesh originally marked a mini-rest from household chores, Chag Ha'Banot has a host of customs associated with it: mothers give their daughters gifts; mothers also go to synagogue to kiss the Torah and pray for the health of their daughters; it's also a time of reconciliation between girls at odds with each other, and a time for women old and young to come together and hold a joint celebration -- usually a feast marked by cheese dishes because legend has it that Judith fed Holofernes salty cheese that made him thirsty enough to consume huge quantities of wine, fall asleep and get beheaded (by Judith of course).

What to do with these customs in practical, contemporary terms? In addition to putting women on an equal heroic footing, personally I like the idea of reconciliation, especially in this day and age of school bullying.

Here's another suggestion from my son Avihai -- a wordplay that ties in nicely with reconciliation. Take the Hebrew words Habanot (daughters) and Havanot (understanding). Spelled in Hebrew without vowels they look identical -- הבנות. Clearly, reconciliation is the big winner of this celebration.
Chag Ha'Banot Sameach!


P.S. For Jewish trivia lovers, Hanukkah is the only holiday that takes place during two different months. It starts in Kislev and ends in Tevet.

Girls Hugging Photo Credit

Photo Credit: Painting of Judith beheading Holofernes

There's No "December Dilemma" If You Adopt & Adapt This Hanukkah Custom From Gibraltar

I will admit that the phrase "December Dilemma" is new to me. It's the type of disconnect that happens after living 35 years in Israel. I first heard it two weeks ago from a friend in Rockville, Maryland, explaining how her synagogue's sisterhood invited a speaker to talk on the topic. My initial reaction was clever copywriting, but since that conversation I've seen the phrase appear in several articles.

Gift giving seems part and parcel of the "December Dilemma." Why feel that you have to keep up with the Christmas stocking? This year give the gift of light every night by adapting a Hanukkah custom from Gibraltar.  While it calls for lighting one Menorah using wicks and oil for the entire family, the best part is reciting a different phrase every night from Tehilim that connects with light.

How does this solve the "December Dilemma?" Here are my thoughts. Let kids earn their gifts. Turn them into Bible detectives and ask them to find a different source each night using the word light. Try this for a jump start: go to the book of Genesis and Let there be light.


Want an American connection as well? That's simple and it's even Jewish.


Our lady of liberty represents a guiding light to freedom -- a wonderful tie-in to the story of the Maccabees.

And what about the famous poem connected to the Statue of Liberty?
It may not actually use the word light, but the concept is embedded in its words. The Jewish connection? Emma Lazarus, of course. While today she is famous for her poem "The New Colossus," during her lifetime she was known for her work "Songs of a Semite." It was written after experiencing a reawakening of her Jewish heritage. Something to contemplate this year while "battling" the "December Dilemma".

Happy Hanukkah!

Hanukkah Candles Photo Credit
Statue of Liberty Photo Credit

This Hanukkah, Create Your Own Olive Oil Custom

Customs are not written in stone. They evolve. Over the past two years I've covered numerous Hanukkah customs from Jewish communities around the world: Hanukkah pinatas from Mexico, the Hassidic custom of the rebbe playing his violin on Hanukkah,  the origins of Hanukkah Gelt and more.
Now I've decided it's time to develop a new custom -- home-made olive oil for lighting the Hannukiah. I've even found a Youtube video created by ChallahCrumbs to help you get started.

Why olive oil? because it's a great way to connect kids with the Bible, Israel, and of course Hanukkah. For starters, how about the olive leaf that the dove brought back to Noah signaling that the flood had abated? The olive branch was the world's first peace offering.

Next: olives are one of the seven species.
Hmm...that could spark a whole discussion on agriculture in Israel past and present, plus serve as a segue to environmental protection. Then we have the uses of olives and olive oil in Biblical times: as a sacrifice, a cooking condiment, a medical ointment, a way for anointing priests and kings, and of course a means for creating light.  Which of course leads us to the Hanukkah miracle.

Sound oil right to you?





Olive oil photo credit 
Olives photo credit

Rosh Chodesh & the Libyan Candle Wick Maker

Is Rosh Chodesh a holiday or a special day? In the Bible it is clearly regarded as a holiday with a festive meal (what else is new in Judaism?). During the times of the Temple it was put on an equal footing with Shabbat, where in addition to eating a sumptuous meal the people refrained from all work. The latter continued to be practiced in the 20th century by many Sephardic and Ashkenazic communities.

Now we're into the 21st century and asking how we can continue making Rosh Chodesh relevant. The answer is clear. Today's frantic pace necessitates a framework for R&R. Which is why we should look to the past as to how this can be accomplished. Throw out the virtual and bring in the real with a custom of Libyan Jews who lit a special oil candle on Rosh Chodesh. Work was forbidden as long as the candle remained lit.

I like the idea of a designated Rosh Chodesh candle. It ties in beautifully with Shabbat. And I like the idea of an oil wick candle. It makes the decision of how long you want to take a break from your daily routine up to you. You pick the size of the wick and the amount of oil.

What do you say? Rosh Chodesh Kislev is 2+ weeks away. Hanukkah is 5 weeks away. True, there's no miracle with this oil lamp but a cause for celebration is always oil right.

Photo credit  

Italian Anousim Use a Three Branched "Menorah" to Light Shabbat Candles

Who says there is nothing new under the sun? I'm always finding something different when it comes to Jewish holiday customs.

Take this triple candelabra as an example. It is a family heirloom belonging to Rabbi Barbara Aiello who can trace her ancestry to the Anousim -- secret Jews -- living in Serrastretta, a tiny Calabrian village in southern Italy.

I recently had the privilege of speaking with Rabbi Barbara. She's a woman with a mission, and that is to connect the population of present day Serrastretta to their ancient Jewish roots. She herself began this journey in 2004, when she began living in Italy on a full time basis. The strange customs that were practiced by her grandmother  prompted her to engage on a personal exploration. For instance, candle lighting on Shabbat. Even though the family was living in Pittsburgh PA, her grandmother would go down to the cantina -- Italian for cellar -- every Friday evening to light Shabbat candles. Despite the exhortations of Rabbi Barbara's father that they were now living in the land of the free, her grandmother's Crypto-Jewish practices ran deep and her constant answer was "you never know."

The candle lighting itself was a beautiful ritual where the matron of the house first lit the middle candelabra taper -- called the shamash -- removed it, and handed it to the youngest family member who in turn lit her personal candle standing in its own candle holder, then handed it on to the next family member according to age rank. And so the ceremony continued. From the youngest it finally returned to the eldest,  who began the process and in turn ends it by lighting the left and right candles on the candelabra.

Indeed, a beautiful all-inclusive family ritual handed down from generation to generation, along with the 100-year old candelabra which has its own special meaning. Notice the peacock motif. It was traditionally used by Jews in southern Italy. When a male a peacock opens its beautiful feathers, the shape of an eye appears -- symbol of the Kabbalstic third eye that sees into a person's soul and provides inner peace.

A welcome thought at this particular juncture in our lives, ripe for debate.
May you find inner peace this coming Shabbat.

Samaritan Style Shabbat

Two years ago I took you to the Israeli city of Holon for Sukkot where part of Israel's Samaritan community lives. You might remember the fabulous indoor Sukkah I posted. This time I'm going to share a Samaritan Shabbat with you.

White is the operative color for Shabbat. An all-white caftan is considered the equivalent of a tallit. And talk about observing Shabbat according to the letter of the law? That's exactly what Samaritans -- Shomronim in Hebrew -- do.  Because the Torah specifically commands that we should not do work of any kind -- and work involves creation -- Samaritans do not light Shabbat candles because it is an act of work/creation, nor do they use electricity. To make sure they are literally not left in the dark, they leave one to two lights lit during the entire Shabbat.

In fact, the use of electricity is such a no-no, they use two refrigerators. They turn the electricity off of one fridge and put their Shabbat food in it, knowing that the cold air inside will keep the food in healthy, eating condition.  But perishables for the rest of the week that need constant blasts of cold air to keep them fresh? That food is placed in the second refrigerator which is kept on and never opened during Shabbat.

Quite a clever system.  But by now you must be asking if there is nearly no electricity in use, what do they do to pass the time? Let's not forget that Shabbat is a day of rest, so rest they do -- rest and sleep. Of course, not all the time.  Here's the schedule: Shabbat prayers Friday night followed by the Shabbat meal and family visit (usually 2 hours), after which they go to sleep. That means during the winter they're asleep by 7-8 p.m.!!! But they don't sleep the night away. It's up and at it at the synagogue at 3 a.m. for Shabbat morning prayers for both men and women, lasting approximately three hours.  At 6 a.m. they go to either grandparents or great uncles/aunts to read the Parshat Hashavua -- weekly Torah portion.

All this makes for a healthy appetite, so home they go for a sumptuous breakfast of Israeli salads. What's one of their favorites? Eggplant and pomegranate salad.  Try it for yourself and share this different way of celebrating Shabbat with your children and students. Shabbat Shalom....


Elderly Samaritan Photo Credit
Young Samaritan Photo Credit

Afghan Jews Make Choice, Juicy Fruits Part Of Their Hakafot Ceremony

Yes, you've dipped apple slices in honey on Rosh Hashanah. Yes, you've decorated your Sukkah with hanging fruits. But fruits as part of the Hakafot on Simhat Torah? Ask Jews of Afghani descent and they'll tell you exactly what to do.

Go to the market the day before Simchat Torah and buy the choicest fruits you can find. Wrap them in silver or gold foil, so that they resemble sweet candies. Place the wrapped fruits around Elijah's chair.

Elijah's Chair? That's right. The same chair normally associated with a Brit Milah is the Afghani focal point for the seven Hakafot. A single Torah scroll is placed on the chair and the Hakafot are performed around it. And the fruit? They are considered "privileged" to be part of the Hakafot. In fact, so special that at the end of Simhat Torah they are auctioned off for considerable sums.

Hmm...that's a new slant on fundraising. Is there a way it can be translated into a classroom setting? I think so. Just like you have a model Seder before Passover, hold model Hakafot using luscious, wrapped fruits for accessories. Have enough for a mid-morning or mid-day snack. Connect each piece of fruit with an act of Tzedakah, and "auction" it off so that the student "winning" the piece of fruit promises to perform the good deed and report about it in class.

Two for the price of one -- Simhat Torah and Jewish values. A lesson plan that truly bears fruit.

Chag Sameach.



Photo Credit 

Lulav Customs Connecting Sukkot with Passover

Finding customs that connect one holiday to another has become a favorite activity for me. You may remember the wonderful Italian custom I discovered linking Tisha B'Av with Hanukkah. This time, a little sleuthing has led me to a lulav custom that connects Sukkot with Passover. I'll make it short and sweet. Syrian, Moroccan and Baghdadi Jews put the lulav away after Sukkot and take it out erev Pessach to burn the Chametz.

Yemenite Jews save the entire package -- lulav, aravim and hadassim -- and use it as oven fuel for baking shemurah matzot.

What's the logic behind these customs? They are based on the Talmudic principle (Berakhot 39b and Shabbat 117b) of reusing an item that was employed for one mitzvah to do another one. Hey -- doesn't that sound like today's "reuse and recycle"?

Finally, here's another wrinkle I found last week: save the lulav and use it as the broom for getting the chametz out of your home (and classroom).  Remember, it has a sharp tip, making it easy to get into the corners. Plus, you know what they say about new brooms -- they make a clean sweep.

Chag Sameach.

Lulav Photo Credit

Green Sukkah, Iraqi Style

Dried vegetation for building a sukkah? It certainly looks like the raw material used for creating this part of a Sukkah entitled Fractured Bubble -- one of the winning entries at New York's 2010 Sukkah City (click on the link to see the entire Sukkah).
My question is -- did the creator of this installation have Iraqi roots (pun intended)? I ask because during my recent research on Sukkot customs I found a photo of a Sukkah in Shanghai, China, circa 1930, built by the president of the Baghdadi community. Following the custom of Jewish community leaders in Baghdad, this Sukkah was made from branches of local vegetation -- not just the sechach (roof covering), but all four walls.

I have no idea if they used fresh or dried vegetation, but let's assume it was the latter and connect it with today's environmental mantra of reduce, reuse and recycle. Using dried up vegetation is a wonderful way to create a green sukkah. Agreed, it may be A LOT of hard work, so here's my suggestion. This year make a miniature prototype. If you live in a house, check out your hedges and backyard greenery. Instead of throwing weeds, dried up leaves and branches away, connect them green lego style. Live in an apartment? How about taking a trip to your local florist and ask what they do with unsold, wilted flowers. Those stems can be easily recycled. Other ideas? I think I'm going to let you take it from here. Think green and out of the box. I'm sure you and your children/students will come up with more innovative sukkah building ideas.

Fractured Bubble Sukkah Photo Credit

Connecting Kol Nidre with Bullying

Finding a unique Yom Kippur custom is not easy. Even though I haven't found one that will knock your socks off, that very (literal) image got me thinking. About bullying. Is there a connection between bullying and Yom Kippur?  I think we can create a link by examining the introductory lines framing the Kol Nidre prayer chanted on Yom Kippur eve.  Translated into English, the Cantor -- or whoever is leading the prayers -- says: "By the authority of the Court on High and by authority of the Court down here, by the permission of One Who Is Everywhere and by the permission of this Congregation, we hold it lawful to pray with sinners."

In other words, listen up bullies: despite your actions we are still open to accepting you in our midst. How? Perhaps by showing bullies that Rosh Hashanah-Yom Kippur is a time to examine one's deeds and understand what motivates one's behavior. Once they do that, hopefully they will stop the taunting and be ready to sit by our side on Kol Nidre.

On a personal note, these introductory words were penned by one of my husband's ancestors -- Rabbi Meir of Rothenburg -- in the late 13th century. A century and a half later they were endorsed by the Maharal of Prague (the creator of the Golem). Clearly, these two great Jewish leaders understood that even people who have wronged others are allowed a second chance.

Gmar Hatima Tova.













Sign credit

Lithuanian Jews Combine a Rosh Hashanah Custom with a Hebrew Lesson

Who hasn't heard of the carrot and stick approach for learning or eating sweet carrot tzimmes for Rosh Hashanah? But eating plain carrots on Rosh Hashanah because of its Hebrew term? Yup that's the creative approach of Lithuanian Jews. They eat sliced carrots because the Hebrew word for carrot is gezer and on Rosh Hashanah we pray for good gezerot -- decrees.

I bet you're saying that's a stretch. Still, this out-of-the-box custom got me thinking. Maybe they're on to something. Maybe this is a good way of getting kids to enjoy their Hebrew lessons.

Here's the next Rosh Hashanah veggie connection that I thought of.

Explain the Tashlich custom by offering your children and students celery sticks. Selek is the Hebrew term for celery and our aim at Tashlich is to le'salek -- throw away our sins.

Food for thought? Let's face it, in the crunch our aim is to make our Jewish heritage palatable and fun.




Carrot photo credit

Celery photo credit

21st Century Learning Collaboration Opportunity

Education is taking a new, interactive technological turn and I'm excited about it. So excited, I want to be a part of it. That's why I would like to engage you in a unique 21^st century learning collaboration, using some of my books as a way to integrate multiple disciplines with an unusual, virtual author visit.

I'll give you an example. Take the holidays of Hanukkah and Passover. Your curriculum calls for teaching why and how these festivals are celebrated. I can breathe new life into your teachers' lesson plans through my books Hanukkah Around the World and Passover Around the World. These books consist of original stories revolving around unusual holiday customs from countries across the globe. Each story is accompanied by brief background information on the Jewish community of a specific country. That means we have four subjects wrapped in one book: Jewish history, geography, Hanukkah/Passover customs and background information, PLUS literature.

Now for the FULL PACKAGE. I have developed interactive PowerPoint presentations around each book. By working out all details and using your school's smart technology, I can enhance your school's learning experience through a 50-60 minute virtual author visit and program.

I have other books that lend themselves to these visits as well. Try a new twist in teaching Bible stories through my two books Tasty Bible Stories and Green Bible Stories for Children – the latter being perfect for teaching about the environment or creating a unique Tu B'Shvat program.

What better idea for a grandparent program than one of my two Jewish Heirloom Stories – Mayer Aaron Levy and His Lemon Tree or Lotty's Lace Tablecloth?

Your students can participate in my programs, read stories together with me, and then engage in a Q&A with the author. Each presentation is limited to 30 students. Fees for single and multiple presentations can be worked out with me.

To find out more about my books, please visit my website. It's friendly and easy to navigate. Afterwards, contact me through my website so that we can continue the conversation (email or Skype) and work together on how to strategically replace learning materials for the specific subjects my books deal with.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Kol Tuv...Tami 

Smart Board photo credit

In Poland the "Shulklapper" Hammered Home the Message of the Month of Elul

Back when there were no alarm clocks (remember them?) Jews in Poland relied on the gabbai's Shulklapper to wake them up for the Selichot prayers.

What exactly was this instrument used to klap -- knock -- on the door in order to make sure everyone got to shul -- synagogue -- on time?

Nothing more than a hammer for hammering home the message "it's time to get up and pray."

The connection to today? While we no longer knock messages into our children's heads, the underlying beauty of Rosh Hashana and its preceding days should be gently conveyed. Rosh Hashana is much more than an occasion to eat, drink and be merry. The Jewish New Year is a time for contemplation, a time to review what we've done wrong and how we can better ourselves.

Want a more practical, hard hitting message? How about a real-time wake-up call? The school year is just is around the corner. Kids rely on the pleasing alarm tones of their mobile phones to wake them up. Will that be enough after the long summer break?  It's hard to get back into an early morning routine. Perhaps a little "klap" on the door will help?

Synagogue Photo Credit 
Hammer photo credit

Tisha B'Av Customs From Czechoslovakia & Germany Remind Us How Important This Day Is

Reciting Eicha – Lamentations – while sitting at the foot of the Wailing Wall is the ultimate way to express grief over our Temples' destruction. That is, if you live in Israel or happen to be visiting. Unfortunately, most Jews do not have easy access to the Wall, so it takes a lot of creative thinking to come up with comparable customs.


This is where looking back at our rich Jewish heritage comes into play. Thinking out of the box was definitely part of it, and the amount of customs I have found for Tisha B'Av is amazing.

I'm going to focus on the two I especially appreciate.

Czech Jews did not wait until the reading of Lamentations to sit on the floor. They began showing signs of mourning during the last meal before the fast, which fittingly consisted of only a hard boiled egg and a slice of bread -- eaten while sitting on the floor.

German Jews had an even more original approach. While praying at the synagogue on Tisha B'Av the Torah scroll was placed on the back of an elderly man, bent over and looking at the floor. The symbolic meaning of this act was to show that while it is hard to be a Jew, we stubbornly persist and survive despite the suffering.

Tisha B'Av is a central date in the collective memory that has kept us going. Pass on its meaning and its customs to your children, grandchildren and students, even though it doesn't coincide with the school year.

Photo Credit

Kabbalat Shabbat, Tel Aviv Style

I experienced a breath of fresh Mediterranean air during Israel's present burning hot, religion and state climate.  It happened this past Friday night at the Tel Aviv Port --  a Kabbalat Shabbat open to all Tel Avivians regardless of religious stripe.  

Run by Beit Tefilah Israeli -- an independent group dedicated to Jewish pluralism and making Judaism accessible and appealing to the general Israeli public -- it was the full package of Siddurim, kipot, music and prayers.

A seamless integration of classic liturgy and traditions with contemporary customs made this event special.  It wasn't a one-time affair. Over the past six years it's been building up a following of mostly secular Israelis looking for a way to embrace Judaism into their lifestyle.

I was introduced to new customs that I want to share with you. An original  Tel Aviv Prayer and a poem welcoming the Sabbath Queen written by Chayim Nachman Biyalik -- Israel's first poet laureate  -- enhanced the regular service.

Those who wished, told about an event during the week that turned out well regardless of the hazardous potential -- to which all replied by singing out thanks to God. For me, the highlight was a new Simhat Torah style prayer under a tallit, blessing all the children finishing school and starting the summer vacation.  

And children galore there were, welcoming the Shabbat together with their young parents.

It was a Kabbalat Shabbat for all ages -- proof that our rich Jewish tradition can be embraced by all.

And for that, let us say Amen and Shavua Tov to all.

Iraqi Jews Welcome Shabbat with the Sweet Smell of Spices

Now that all the holidays are behind us, let's have a look at the one constant in our life which arrives on a weekly basis. Of course, I'm talking about Shabbat.

In my opinion, the concept of a day of rest is one of the greatest gifts Judaism has given to mankind.   While there is a set format of blessings, prayers and Torah reading, different Jewish communities around the world have developed unique customs to celebrate Shabbat.

You know that researching and writing about Jewish customs around the world is my thing, so get ready. I am about to start a new project -- Shabbat Around the World, and I'm using this blog as the launching pad.

Let's get started with a wonderfully aromatic custom from Iraq which shows that the sweet smell of spices is not for Havdallah alone. Iraqi Jews have a wonderful pre-kiddush tradition where the father of the house circles the set Shabbat table when he returns from synagogue on Friday night. When he concludes the round he takes a (pre-picked) fragrant spice branch -- be it myrtle, mint, or whatever else grows nearby -- and makes a blessing over the spice, adding the words a sweet fragrance, an offering to god. Immediately afterwards he recites the kiddush.

What a wonderful custom! Everything about Shabbat is sweet -- including the aromas associated with it. And Havdallah? It brings the custom full circle by heralding a sweet week.

Sounds good to me. Try it with your family, friends and students. What's more, this custom can serve as a great way to learn about your neighborhood/city/state's flora.

This custom is just a taste of what's to come. Starting in the Fall, I hope to be integrating more Shabbat customs into this blog. In the meantime, I'd like you to be in touch with me (tami@tlwkidsbooks.com) and tell me what you'd like to see me cover over the summer. Also, please write to me and share unique Shabbat customs that you know about.

Shavua Tov everyone.

Photo Credit

There's a Grain of Truth in this Shavuot Custom from Ethiopia

Yes, Shavuot is a celebration of our receiving the Torah, but have we missed out on the underlying message of the story of Ruth? It is much more than a love story. Much more than a tale of bonding or of a woman embracing our faith. It provides the setting for an important Jewish value -- helping the needy. Boaz was a wealthy man, owner of bountiful grain fields. Naomi was his destitute, long lost relative. In order to help Naomi without embarrassing her, he orders his workers to let Ruth glean from the leftover grains fallen to the side.

While one of Shavuot's many names is "The Harvest Festival", can you think of a custom that actually incorporates grain? I have just discovered one and I want to say thank you to Ethiopian Jews for reminding me about the lesson of the Book of Ruth. They have a communal tradition of bringing bread and grains to their Kes -- their religious leader. He blesses the bounty, after which the entire community sits down and eats together. After all, bread is the staff of life -- a fact of which Boaz was mindful.









Grain photo credit

Shavuot, Verona Italy & the Origins of the Bat Mitzvah

It's common knowledge that the Bat-Mitzvah ceremony is an American innovation dating back to 1922 when Judith Kaplan, daughter of Rabbi Mordechai Kaplan -- founder of the Reconstructionist Movement -- celebrated her Bat Mitzvah.

What most people don't know is that as far back as the Renaissance, Italian Jewry had a very liberal view of women and their role in Judaism. This information has been brought to light by Dr. Aliza Lavie, author of the bestselling book A Jewish Woman's Prayer Book, through her new study: Women's Customs: A Journey of Jewish Customs, Prayers and Stories. One of the revelations Lavie brings to light is that the first Bat Mitzvah was the brainchild of 19th century Verona Italy's Rabbi, Isaac Pardo. Through her research Lavie discovered that this was an annual communal ceremony held on Shavuot. The 12-year old girls wore white and entered the synagogue's men's section as part of a procession accompanied by a choir singing the Song of Deborah from the Book of Judges.

I'm not sure when this practice unfortunately faded from the scene, but Rabbi Pardo's great grandson -- Yonatan Bassi -- reports that his 100+ year-old mother still remembers every detail of her Bat Mitzvah. True, the above description indicates that the girls were not called up to the Torah. Still, it was a major gender breakthrough, especially considering the minimal role Jewish women around the globe had at that point in time.

For this Shavuot, where does this leave you, your daughters and students? An opportunity to talk about the role girls and women have/should have in the Jewish tradition. We know that Rosh Chodesh has traditionally been considered a female celebration. Now we can add Shavuot.  What next?

Synagogue photo credit

Connect the Carob Eating Custom of Tu B'Shvat with Lag B'Omer

Carob fruit for Tu B'Shvat. But Carob fruit for Lag B'Omer? A fitting fruit if you ask me since on Lag B'Omer so many  Jews hailing from the Middle East honor the memory of Rabbi Shimon Bar-Yochai -- one of Rabbi Akiva's outstanding students and author of the Zohar. The carob connection is simple. Legend has it that he and his son hid from the Romans in a cave, where the two learned Torah for 13 years. The miraculous appearance of a carob tree and a spring of water next to the cave provided the nourishment they needed to survive.

Here's the next Tu B'Shvat/Lag B'Omer connection that I'm spinning in my head. Most of us are familiar with the Tu B'Shvat Seder -- a veritable fruit feast. Oddly enough, one of the Lag B'Omer customs practiced by Jews from Tunisia, Libya and Morocco is to hold a feast honoring Rabbi Shimon Bar-Yochai because Lag B'Omer was a memorable date in his life -- on this same date (not year) he became a certified teacher, got married and passed away.

And you thought this minor holiday is only marked by bonfires!


Carob tree photo credit

Connecting Shofar Blowing to Civilian Sirens

My mind goes back to last year when 20-year old cousin Michael spent his Spring semester at Tel Aviv University. "Wow!" he said. "What an unbelievable experience Israel Memorial Day is." He explained: "No sales, no barbecues, no merrymaking!" What he experienced was respect to the fallen, as the entire country came to a standstill with the sound of silence at the sound of the siren -- be it on the road or in the shuk.

This got me thinking. Shofar blowing. Sirens. Around the world, civil defense sirens warn against potential danger as well as sound "the all clear" signal. Israel has a special siren call in case of imminent attack or danger. Now let's connect the dots. During Biblical times the shofar was used as a way to mark the start of a war. Take a look at Joshua and the story of Jericho. The use of numerous shofarim was part of the battle plan.

Then and now, be it in Biblical Israel or the modern state, the shofar/siren was used for numerous purposes.   Back then, what better way to announce the beginning of Rosh Chodesh or to usher in Rosh Hashanah -- the New Year? During the First and Second Temples the sound of the shofar was incorporated with trumpet blowing to signal special occasions and ceremonies. Little wonder that the Chief Rabbi of the Israel Defense Forces -- Shlomo Goren -- made sure to blow the shofar at the Wailing Wall when Israel recaptured Jerusalem's Old City during the Six Day War.

Today? Aside from civil defense purposes and silent commemorative moments on Yom Hashoa and Yom Hazikaron, sirens are sounded every Friday to signal the beginning of Shabbat. A new custom? Not at all.  When the Jews returned (to Israel) from exile in Babylonia, a  priest blew the shofar to signal the people that it's time to stop work and get ready for Shabbat. Travel to the Jewish community living in the island of Djerba off the coast of Tunisia, and you'll find a living example of this custom.

Time for a shofar blowing class or competition?
Think about it and have a Shabbat Shalom.


Shofar blowing photo credit
Siren photo credit

Origins & Customs of Yom Hashoah

It's always fascinating to find out why specific dates are chosen for memorial holidays. Yom Ha'shoah is a good example. Is there an obvious date for remembering this horrific carnage which lasted so many years? While some voted for Tisha B'Av when many other catastrophes occurred in Jewish history, the original plan was to hold Yom Ha'shoah on the 14th of Nisan -- the anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising (April 19, 1943), which this memorial in Warsaw symbolizes.

Sounds perfectly logical, but it didn't work. Who could stop, mourn and remember when the country was in full swing with Passover preparations? Let's not forget that the 15th of Nisan is the first day of Passover. To paraphrase a famous American quote: "Jerusalem, we have a problem." And boy, was it a problem! First Passover, then a mere 12 days after the last day of Passover, Israel Memorial Day. What to do? Obviously sandwich it in during this season of remembering. And so, in 1953 Israel's Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion and its President Yitzhak ben-Zvi passed a law stating that Yom Ha'shoah is to be celebrated on the 27th of Nisan.

Today, the official ceremony marking the day is held at sundown, at Yad Vashem's Warsaw Ghetto Plaza. The national flag is lowered to half mast and Holocaust survivors light six torches symbolizing the six million who perished.  Promptly at 10 a.m. the next morning a siren is sounded, and the entire country comes to a standstill (more on sirens next week).  All public entertainment places are closed. Ceremonies are held in schools, military bases and public institutions. Entertainment shows on TV and radio are put on "hold"as well, substituted by documentaries on the Holocaust and low-key songs.

"B-O-R-I-N-G?" Not at all. "M-E-A-N-I-N-G-F-U-L!" Especially in this day and age of existential threats to Israel's existence. Yom Ha'shoah is more than a time to remember. It's a day to reflect.


Warsaw Ghetto Memorial Photo Credit

My Theme for this Year's Seder: Social Protest

My late father had several wonderful Passover customs. I've already told you about his bringing home strangers to our seder table. Another custom of his was connecting the seder with current events. This is not a kiddie oriented custom, but let's face it -- adults also need a picker-upper so that they won't feel it's "same old, same old" when the Seder rolls around.

I've tried to continue this custom (sometimes successful, sometimes not) and this year I'm saying to myself, it's a no brainer. All the social protest that has been going on in Israel and America is a natural segue to the Haggadah and the story of Passover.

So that's my theme for this year and I'm going to do it through visuals that are going to prominently stand on the seder table -- without taking away from the significance of the seder plate, of course. To begin with, I'm going to make a a small hand-written poster shouting "Let My People Go." Next, if a picture is worth a thousand words, try these 4,000 words worth of pictures out for size.

Along with my hand written placard, this reminder to Pharaoh:

Seamlessly moving to current events, when today we're not slaves, but many of us are feeling downtrodden. Remember the social protests in Tel Aviv last summer on those sizzling, summer nights?

If you'd like to put up some photos with Hebrew protest banners, try this or another option.

Closer to U.S. shores, here are some images for you, especially if you feel you belong with the 99%:

Get the picture? This year the story of Passover and the reading of the Haggadah speak to us loud and clear. Give photos the opportunity of getting that message across.

Wishing all of you a meaningful and memorable Seder.


Egyptian Slaves Photo Credit
Tel Aviv Social Protest Photo Credit
99% Photo Credit
Wall Street Protest Photo Credit

Bring the Custom of "Kimcha d'Pischa" to Your Seder Table

This week I'm going to put fun Passover customs to the side and focus on a more serious tradition --  Kimcha d'Pischa.


This ancient custom is traced to the Jerusalem Talmud. Its literal meaning is "flour for Passover", which is exactly what the Rabbis instructed fellow Jews to give the poor who had no means of baking their own matzot.

Today, Kimcha d'Pischa has evolved into food packages for the needy. Certainly, this is an admirable form of charity and a wonderful way to get children involved in helping the poor. Yet, you don't have to be penniless to be poor. Assistance to the needy does not begin and end with food or money. My late father began a custom in our family, which I continue to this day. At the end of synagogue services on the first and second nights of Passover, he rounded up the lonely and brought them home to sit around our Seder table. My hat goes off to my late mother who never made a fuss. Equal credit goes to my entire family, including aunts, uncles and cousins who warmly welcomed the strangers sitting next to them.

My family was not alone in this generous act. While researching Kimcha d'Pischa I found a family in Poland who did the exact same thing. I'm sure that if I made the effort, I would find others as well. Tying this tradition to the actual Seder night is easy.  You are told to pass down the story about the birth of our nation to your children. The hagaddah reminds us that we were strangers in Egypt. Connect the dots, bring strangers to your table and pass down an expanded Kimcha d'Pischa custom that will give added meaning to your seder nights and the lives of your guests.


Flour photo credit

Combine Passover Customs from Tunisia, Yemen and Turkey for a Unique Model Seder

It's that time of the year again. Time to make seder -- which literally means "order" in Hebrew. This year try a new world order by combining customs from 3 countries. It's a thinking-out-of-the-box suggestion and I promise it will engage your children and students.

Start your Passover tour by going to Tunisia with a custom that I brought up last year -- sitting on mattresses. They're comfortable, definitely have reclining space, and yes, they make the experience a lot more authentic for children.

Next stop: Yemen. Forget about the seder plate. They have a seder table, meaning they place all the symbols on the table itself. I suggest you use either very low tables or the floor. Put down a tablecloth and arrange the Passover food symbols on all four corners and/or in the middle.  Make it plentiful, yummy and colorful, with an aroma that can't be beat.

Final destination: Turkey. Jews living in this Western Asian country follow the wonderful Sephardic custom of beginning the Seder with a play. I always bring up this custom because it's my favorite. It has the Purim costume element with a family member dressing up as one of the Children of Israel. S/he conducts a short dialog with the seder leader by answering the questions: "Who are you?" "But I thought you are a slave, where are you going?" "What was it like in Egypt?"

Get the picture? A homespun, down to earth approach in this day and age of ready made props and video clips.

Enjoy! I'll be back with more Passover customs.

Photo credit

This Purim Step, Stomp & Walk Tall

Back in the 1960's Nancy Sinatra made it big on the music scene thanks to her hit These Boots Are Made For Walking and its popular refrain: One of these days these boots are going to walk all over you.

Did she have Haman in mind when she sang this song? Sure enough one of the Purim customs I recently found is to write the name of Haman on the sole of your shoes, and stamp your feet really hard every time Haman's name is called out during the Megillah reading until his name is erased. Unfortunately, this custom was not connected to a specific country but it did remind me of a French Purim custom that I posted in 2010 in which Haman's name was either printed or engraved on 2 stones knocked together during the Megillah reading.

Contact me if you have any other creative customs for obliterating Haman's name. I'll be happy to post them.

Purim Sameach. Happy Purim.


Photo credit

A Purely Persian Purim

Meet Queen Esther. At least that's who I'd like to think this lady is, for who else would be depicted on a 17th century tile made in Isfahan, Iran, depicting an Iranian Jewess?

I have been fascinated by Iranian Jewry for over eight years -- from the moment I discovered Esther and Mordechai's mausoleum while surfing the net. It is located in the Iranian city of Hamadan, also famous for its Persian carpets. The  minute I landed on this Jewish tourist site I began to look at Purim in a purely Persian light. No longer did it seem a mythical tale meant for a carnival celebration. So serious is this holiday that most Jews living in Iran -- secular and religious alike -- observe the Fast of Esther. Nothing is closer to home for them than Purim, with Esther and Mordechai part of their persona.

You can imagine the culture shock Iranian Jews experienced after the 1979 revolution, when many sought safety in the United States and Purim rolled around. Little of what they witnessed was recognizable. Costumes? Certainly NOT a Persian custom. Same for Mardi Gras type merrymaking. Drowning out the name of Haman during the megillah reading through a cacophony of noise? Yes, but only one of their Haman traditions. While hanging effigies of Haman in backyards and burning them was no longer widespread (I assume for reasons of political correctness), some families wrote and sang their own songs about the insidious villain. Haman aside, giving children gifts and coins was a commonplace tradition, providing Purim with an atmosphere we associate with Hanukkah. Finally, Mishloach Manot came in only one form, and it wasn't a basket full of goodies. Homemade halva (much like these Israeli varieties) presented on a plate was the Persian preference, and the most widespread symbol of Purim.

Today, Iranian Jews have successfully assimilated into the American way of life, leaving "the old country" and much of its ways behind. Last year I met a group of American-Iranian Jewish teens studying in Israel. Sadly, they barely knew about these traditions.  How unfortunate in this multi-cultural age.

Hopefully this post will help bring Persia back into Purim. To make it even more authentic, take your students and children on this virtual tour of Esther and Mordechai's mausoleum. Like Jerusalem's Western Wall, it was the place Iranian Jews went to pray, cry and make special requests.

Enjoy your Persian Purim. Make it meaningful and merry at the same time.

Tile photo credit
Halva photo credit