September in Tucson brings many things I love: cooler temperatures permitting long walks in Sabino Canyon, intermittent rains that drench my garden and the Jewish holidays that kick off the new year. A sense of optimism, of new beginnings and opportunities, fills the air. In stark contrast, I began September with a horrendous car accident….
A Guide to Jewish Holidays Note: Jewish holidays start at sundown the day before the first day of the holiday. Rosh Hashanah (Sept. 25-26, 2014) Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, is celebrated each year on the first day of Tishrei, early in the fall. The day is a special time of rejoicing as we…
ROSH HASHANAH (Sept. 5-6, 2013) Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, is celebrated each year on the first day of Tishrei, early in the fall. The day is a special time of rejoicing as we wish each other L’Shanah Tovah, a good year. It is also a solemn day because Rosh Hashanah is not only the…
Independence Day in Israel, April 16 this year, means the usual parties, fireworks, traffic jams and community festivals, but more than anything else … the heralding of “barbecue season!” If you think you know what a barbecue is, think again! Here in Israel, it’s not the beloved BBQ I knew from back home in New…
Oregon Jewish Life asked three Oregon rabbis in 2012, “How can Jewish or interfaith families turn their “December dilemma” into a positive, meaningful experience for children?” Rabbi Benjamin Barnett Beit Am Jewish Community, Corvallis (Editor’s Note: In August 2017, Rabbi Barnett became rabbi of Portland’s Havurah Shalom) The phrase “December dilemma” itself reflects the heart…
When my wife and I moved to Salem five years ago, we didn’t give much thought to whether or not there was a Jewish community here. We moved to Salem from the Los Angeles area, where there are so many Jews that the public schools close on Jewish holidays. Judaism had always been a quiet…
