Pesach had been over for maybe forty-eight hours before I first heard someone ask me “So, what are we doing about Shavuot?” The question was asked by one of my Shavuot night learning buddies, with whom I also share a subsequent breakfast and early minyan. His question solidified the realization that such is the nature of modern Jewish observance, once one Yom Tov is behind us, we immediately begin obsessing about the one facing us. more

The description of the lighting of the Menorah appears three times in the Torah: in Parshat Tetzaveh (Shmot 27:20-21) in our parsha (24:2-3) and at the beginning of Parshat B'haalotkha (Bamidbar 8:2-4.) The contexts are different – the creation of the priestly clothing, one of the Torah's presentations of the holidays, and as a precedent to the purification process of the Levites, respectively. more

I’m writing this article sitting in my lovely leather desk chair, sipping and savoring my home-brewed latte in a ceramic mug topped with whipped cream. This morning I went for a light jog on the treadmill while watching a movie, took a steamy shower, and then made myself a large omelet with sautéed vegetables with a side of whole-wheat toast and butter. It’s good to be back home. more

Family members of Orthodox patients at St. John’s Episcopal Hospital in Far Rockaway can now spend Shabbat in comfort with kosher meals, Jewish books, and plush furniture. On April 13, hospital officials and local rabbis dedicated the bikur cholim room at the century-old hospital, recognizing the growing Orthodox community in the surrounding neighborhood. more

Calendar for the week of April 29, 2011 more

Six million Jews were killed in the Holocaust. 1.5 million were children. 4.5 million were adults. Each couple had at least five to ten children. Some had more. Some had many more. If the 4.5 million Jews constituted 2.25 million families and each family had five more children, that would equal 11.25 million more children. more

Dear Aviva, I am a new mom. A friend of mine also recently gave birth 4 months after I did. While I have been grappling with mixed emotions, being in physical pain after giving birth, suffering from major sleep deprivation and just the general craziness of adjusting to motherhood, my "perfect" friend seems to have bounced back the minute she came home from the hospital. more

Following on the heels of Pesach, a holiday celebrating the cause of freedom, we have this weekend May Day, a holiday that celebrates the virtues of totalitarianism and murder. more

There is a short list of things that I refuse to do. But on that list are some items like never shopping on Black Friday or never going to see a blockbuster movie in it's opening weekend. Prominent on my ”not to do” list is going out to restaurants on Erev Pesach. more

David F. Nesenoff: Who is the silent sister? Mazal Alouf-Mizrahi: The silent sister is a name for Margot Frank, Anne Frank’s sister. Many individuals are aware that Anne Frank lived and passed away through her own diary “The Diary of Anne Frank.” Many are unfortunately unaware of her silent sister, her reticent sister. The title itself is another name for Margot herself. more