Must-See Jewish Historical Sites in Prague

If you ever visit Prague, you’ll notice that there is a certain mystical aura to the city, an almost palpable sense of Divine protection. Legend has it that in the late 16th Century, Rabbi Loew created a golem out of clay from the Vltava River to protect the Jews of Prague from danger. Is it ...

Sukkot: Seven Soups for Seven Days!

14. August 2019 Sukkot 0
Hello dear readers, Sukkot is one of my favorite holidays, especially since I love fall weather. I love the changing of the leaves and the cool breeze and the crisp autumn days. However, the autumn nights can be a little… chilly. So, if you’re spending seven straight autumn nights outside, let’s say dining al fresco ...

The Best Months for Travel!

07. August 2019 Sukkot 0
Hello dear readers, As many of you are well aware, I often travel for work. In fact, I just looked at my calendar for the last year and realized that I had booked at least one flight during each month of the year, which is a personal record! Of course, many of those were work ...

That’s Not a Lemon!!

31. July 2019 Sukkot 0
Hello dear readers, One of the key mitzvoth of Sukkot is waving the four species. The four species are listed in the book of Vayikra, in Parshat Emor. Two of them are described in a straightforward way: the lulav would come from a palm tree, and the arava would come from the willow. (I’m not ...

The Fun of Lulav Artwork!

24. July 2019 Sukkot 0
Hello dear readers, More than any other holiday, Sukkot is the one that makes me feel a little nostalgic. That’s because when we start to dig out the Sukkot poles and walls from the basement, I also find the airtight box of sukkah decorations. Inside the box are the sukkah decorations from last year and ...

Experiencing the Weather of Sukkot

17. July 2019 Sukkot 0
Hello dear readers, Today’s blog forecast will be… about the weather on Sukkot! Sukkot is always on the 15th of Tishrei, but in terms of the secular calendar, it usually falls somewhere between September 15 and October 15 (depending on whether it’s a Jewish leap year, and other factors I suppose). Sukkot is great because ...

Painting the Ushpizin (and Decorating for Sukkot!)

10. July 2019 Sukkot 0
Hello dear readers, One of my favorite parts of Sukkot is decorating the sukkah. Every year we dig out all the old sukkah decorations from the giant box where we keep it during the year, and even though the old decorations should be enough to fill the entire sukkah, we always find room for new ...

Four Reasons You Should Travel for Sukkot

03. July 2019 Sukkot 0
Hello dear readers, What is your favorite time of the year to travel? Some people like a good summer vacation, when all the kids are off from school and the family can travel together. Some prefer a winter trip, around Chanukah time, when they can leave the snow behind and enjoy a warm environment when ...