Every year at Passover the great debate rages: to eat kitniyot or not. Kitniyot are a classification of food that Jews of Ashkenazi descent (European) do not eat and Sephardic Jews (Mediterranean) do eat them. For example, Ashkenazi Jews would not eat rice on Passover and yet, Jews from Morroco, Spain, or Turkey would absolutely…Read more »
Tag: Pesach
From Ganut l’Shevach: reflections on Passover and the Supreme Court
Read my latest blog post on Reform Judaism’s blog. http://www.reformjudaism.org/blog/2013/03/24/marriage-equality-and-passover-degradation-praise Happy Passover and Chag Sameach
The Balance of Power and Strength
Two weeks and Two days-that is how long we have been counting. For 16 days we have been working on spiritual repair and correction. First within ourselves and then carrying that tikkun into the world. This period of reflection between Pesach and Shavuot are marked with spiritual preparation and purification in order that when we…Read more »
Some are still Slaves
Wishing all a wonderful Pesach. I hope the journey from slavery toward freedom brings you hope and renewal. For some people in our world today they are slaves. They “belong” to another human being. Slavery exists in 21st century sadly. Passover comes to remind us that if one person is not free then we…Read more »
What bikkurim do you have to offer?
Parshat Ki Tavo Deuteronomy 26:1-29:8 This week our Torah portion gives us very specific instructions about certain responsibilities of the Israelite nation once they cross over the Jordan River and settle in the Promised Land. This first mitzvah described takes place only after the Children of Israel will settle in the land and plant crops…Read more »
Are You Down for the Count?
Happy Passover one and all. I hope your Seder was joyful and yummy too. Tonight many will celebrate a second seder but what makes tonight so different is the counting of the omer. It begins on the second night of Passover and culminates 50 days later in our next festival of Shavuot. Each night (or…Read more »
Post Season Joy
The Playoffs are rockin’ in earnest. Halliday’s no-hitter. Lincecum’s 14k’s. The Yankees usual dominance. The post season of Major League Baseball is in literally full swing. I have to say a bit wistfully I don’t know really who to cheer for. I do own a Yankees hat. But that’s the only one of the…Read more »