Honey Taste Test

I was perusing one of my favorite Jewish websites, Kveller, and I noticed they had this article up, telling of a honey taste test.  What a great idea for Rosh Hashanah!  Take it one step further, and set up a buffet with a variety of apple slices along with your honey selection!  What is your favorite this year?  Honey Crisp Apples with anything might be mine!

Rosh Hashanah Hannah

Just a little fun for Rosh Hashanah, courtesy of Shalom Sesame!

Parshat Nitzavim-Vayelech

This week's portion is actually a double portion - Nitzavim and Vayelech.  The Torah is divided up into 54 portions, so every once in a while we are gifted with a double portion.  This week is one of those.

Check out this resource for some great family Torah discussions of this week's portions. 

For a quick look at some of this week's reading, check out this g-dcast video.

Parshat Nitzavim

Parshat Nitzavim from G-dcast.com

More Torah cartoons at www.g-dcast.com

Parshat Vayelech

Parshat Vayelech from G-dcast.com

More Torah cartoons at www.g-dcast.com

New Jewish Books for the Fall Holidays

It is September.  School has resumed, and families are once again juggling homework and extracurricular activities and finding ways to add meaningful time together to that balance.  The Jewish fall holidays, beginning later this month, always led a certain freshness to the season.  Amidst sports and music lessons, taking the time to celebrate Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, and Simchat Torah is the perfect way to make family time special. 

There are some really great new Jewish books recently released, so as you look to find something new to augment your apples and honey, take a peek at these.

For younger children:

Joseph and the SabbathFish by Eric A. Kimmel

Joseph always welcomes guests to his Sabbath table, while his greedy neighbor Judah scoffs at Joseph’s generosity. Even as his fortunes decline, Joseph’s door remains open. But times change and Judah turns to his Joseph for help. A very special fish helps Joseph save the day. (Grades K-3)

Talia and the RudeVegetables by Linda Elovitz Marshal

“How can a vegetable be ‘rude’?” Talia wonders, when she mis-hears her grandmother asking her to gather “root” vegetables for a Rosh Hashanah stew. As Talia digs in the garden, she collects the twisted, ornery carrots and parsnips – the “rude” vegetables that she thinks her grandmother wants -- and finds a good home for the rest. (PreK-2)

Sadie’s SukkahBreakfast by Jamie Korngold

Waking up early in the morning on Sukkot, Sadie and Ori decide to serve breakfast in the sukkah. But when the table is set and the food is ready, they remember that a sukkah celebration needs guests. No one is awake, so who should they invite? (PreK-1)

For older children:

Green Bible Stories forChildren by Tami Lehman-Wilzig

Beginning with the story of Creation, the Bible teaches us to use and respect the land, conserve natural resources, and save energy. The Bible stories of Noah, Abraham, Joshua and others are retold, and reinforced with activities that will help young readers understand how to nurture and protect the environment. (Grades 3-5)

Hereville: How Mirka Got Her Sword, by Barry Deutsch

Eleven year-old Mirka, living in a contemporary Orthodox community, has more on her

mind than learning the “womanly arts” her stepmother insists she acquire. She is on a

quest to find a sword and slay a dragon, when she encounters witches, trolls, a vicious

pig, and a ghost along the way. Computer generated illustrations in a muted palette

create an amusing and refreshing graphic novel adventure. (Grades 4-7)

Lily Renee, Escape Artist: From HolocaustSurvivor to Comic Book Pioneer, by Trina Robbins

In 1938, Lily Renée Wilheim is a 14-year-old Jewish girl living in Vienna. Her days are filled with art and ballet. Then the Nazis march into Austria, and Lily's life is shattered overnight. Suddenly, her own country is no longer safe for her or her family. To survive, Lily leaves her parents behind and travels alone to England.  Escaping the Nazis is only the start of Lily's journey. She must escape many more times--from servitude, hardship, and danger. Will she find a way to have her own sort of revenge on the Nazis? Follow the story of a brave girl who becomes an artist of heroes and a true pioneer in comic books.

For teens:

TheThings a Brother Knows, by Dana Reinhardt

When Levi’s older brother Boaz makes an uncharacteristic decision to join the Marines, his Israeli-American family is shocked. He returns safely but hardly speaks to anyone and barely leaves his room. When Boaz claims he is going on a hiking trip, Levi follows him on a journey from Boston to Washington, DC on foot and comes to understand the depth of his brother’s pain, and his love and loyalty for his family. (Grades 8-12)

For parents:

The Blessing of a BMinus: Using Jewish Teachings to Raise Resilient Teenagers by Wendy Mogel, Ph.D.

Social-clinical psychologist Mogel concentrates on the hidden blessings of raising teenagers in this engaging follow-up to The Blessing of a Skinned Knee. Intermingling wisdom and guidelines from Judaism and adolescent psychology, Mogel compares the teen years to the journey from Egypt to the Promised Land. As kids wander in the "desert" of adolescence, she advises parents to offer counsel and guidance, demonstrate empathy without entanglement, and resist the urge to intervene or rescue. In chapters peppered with true-to-life examples and humor, Mogel examines the blessings of a B minus, staying up late, hangovers, breaking the rules, and a variety of other teen topics, urging parents not just to look on the bright side, but to help kids benefit from the learning opportunities inherent in difficult situations.

Jewels of Elul

We currently find ourselves in the Jewish month of Elul, a month in which Jews around the world begin to ready themselves for the solemnity of the High Holy Days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, occurring only a month away in Tishrei. Every day in synagogue, the shofar is sounded, as if this trumpeting sound could awaken ourselves to take stock of the year coming to a close and readying ourselves for the days we spend in prayer and personal reflection.

One of my favorite Elul resources is Jewels of Elul, started by Craig Taubman (for more information on this very talented musician, see his website - Craig 'n Co: Soundtracks for Life). For the past six years, he has collected short stories, anecdotes, andreflections from some famous and fascinating people, including Natan Sharansky, Rabbi Naomi Levy, Dr. Shelly Dorph, Jeremy Ben Ami, Rabbi Mark Borovitz, and even Lady Gaga! I encourage you to take a look at these Jewels of Elul, found at http://letmypeoplesing.com/jewels/ and to contemplate their question of the day.  You can sign up to receive a Jewel a Day to your email or your Facebook - just follow the instructions on their web page. 

 

September 11th - Parenting Resources

This Sunday brings us a sad anniversary, one which many of us have difficulty with.  This is a link to a variety of great resources for the tenth anniversary of 9/11.  I hope they are a great resource for you.

Parshat Ki Tetze

Parshat Ki Tetze contains a mixture of seventy-two commandments, dealing with such diverse subjects as the treatment of captives, defiant children, lost animals, birds' nests, roof railings, divorce, rights of aliens, loans, vows, protection of works, parental guilt, charity for the poor, regulations for inheritance, and fair weights and measures - phew!  The portion concludes with a warning to remember how the Amalekites attacked the weary Israelites in the desert.  Interesting stuff for this week!

For a great family resource on Ki Tetze, check out the Shabbat Table Talk on this portion.

And, as always, your g-dcast viewing of this portion.

Parshat Shoftim

Parshat Shoftim

Deuteronomy 16:18 - 21:9

Synopsis

Upon entering the land, the Israelites are commanded to establish courts of law within their settlements. Judges are told to be fair and impartial, never accepting bribes or favoring anyone.

Again, Moses warns the people against idolatrous worship. An individual accused of establishing alien worship is declared guilty only upon the testimony of two or more witnesses. The penalty is death.

A case too difficult for a judge to decide is brought before the Levitical priests or magistrates for a ruling.

Should the people choose to establish a monarchy after they take possession of the Land, Moses provides them with a framework for how this is to be done. The king must be an Israelite. He should not have numerous wives or acquire great wealth. The teaching (Torah law) is to guide him at all times.

Moses instructs the people not to become involved in soothsaying or sorcery, for these are idolatrous practices of other nations.

Moses warns the people against false prophets and tells them how to identify a true prophet. Moses continues his discourse by describing the cities of refuge - three cities on each side of the Jordan set aside for individuals who accidentally kill someone. Moses further instructs the people to increase the number of refuge cities as their territory increases.

As the portion concludes, Moses discusses the rules by which Israel is to conduct its wars, exempt individuals from wars, and deal with unsolved murders.

For your Shabbat table Torah discussion:

• In each of these final portions of the Torah, Moses repeats himself quite often. Why do you think he spends so much time reminding the Israelites of everything that has been told to them?
• This parsha is called Shoftim, which means "judges." In this portion, Moses reminds the people that judges must be fair. Is it difficult to always be fair? What qualities must a judge have that would help to keep him/her fair?
• There are many rules in the Torah, many of which are repeated here. How do rules help to make things fair? What makes a fair rule? What makes an unfair rule?

This week's g-dcast cartoon: