People have been asking me how will they be able to do Passover while in quarantine? A friend tells me “Rabbi this year we won’t be doing a Seder because the kids are not coming.” more

BOSTON (JTA) – Miriam the Prophetess, Elijah the Prophet and the Four Questions take center stage among this spring’s crop of new Passover books for kids, penned by some of … more

  (The Nosher via JTA) – Haroset is one of the most important food components of the Passover seder. Its intense sweetness symbolizes optimism, contrasting with the bitter maror and … more

AS I WRITE THIS in mid-March, uncertainty abounds over the coronavirus pandemic, but one thing is certain: No matter how long the outbreak and its fallout last, it has already hurt the quality of our lives, and has made us care more deeply about activities that we otherwise take for granted. Even though most Americans realize it’s a serious situation, it’s hard to accept the severe restrictions imposed on our personal lives because of the virus, especially since past pandemics, including the H1N1 swine flu in 2009-10, never reached this level. For instance, in those other outbreaks, people weren’t thrown out of work, closed off from their schools and houses of worship, or told that they couldn’t patronize bars and restaurants. Not since 9/11 has American life changed so dramatically and so rapidly. more

PAWTUCKET – Several times a week, in the lead-up to Passover, volunteers gather in the kitchen at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church to bake matzah. Most are members of the Jewish community, … more

NEW YORK (JTA) – For the past three years, Esther Possick has avoided the hassle of hosting Passover at her Long Island home by traveling to Kosher hotels in foreign locales. In 2017, she spent the holiday at a resort in Stresa, a resort town on Lake Maggiore in northern Italy not far from the Swiss border. The following year she tried out Rimini, a coastal city on the Adriatic. Last year she opted for a program in Spain. more

Bringing new life to hamantaschen was a challenge. People are dead set on their favorite flavors like classic poppy seed and apricot. Of course, newer directions such as Nutella and rainbow funfetti are a big hit with the kids, but reinventing the grown-up hamantaschen into a decadent cookie you actually crave was very important to me. Then it hit me: alfajores! more

Hanukkah is a time for celebration throughout the Jewish Rhode Island community. Above, the lighting of the menorah at the Rhode Island State House is always festive. Among the other activities: … more

Be sure to check jewishrhody for recipes, interesting articles and everything you need to celebrate Hanukkah, including the 2019 menorah candle lighting times and blessings.  more

Hanukkah means latkes, menorahs and the retelling of the story of Judah and the Maccabees. But there’s a woman from a few hundred years before Judah who is just as important to this … more