Passover was on March 30 the first year I ever celebrated it. I remember it was a stormy spring in Los Angeles. Rainwater roared through the city aqueducts. I had never witnessed so much rain in Southern California before. Everything seemed to be moving in slow-motion, and everything seemed so vibrant and clear — grief […]
For those of us making seders, the list-making has been going on for quite a while now. For those of us who change dishes and pots and every damn thing in the kitchen — we are nauseous thinking of the drudgery of the next few days. For those of us who make the prep into […]
The first quarter of 2022 that just ended brought with it many unfortunate international developments. As I was born in Ukraine and still have close family there, I was worried about the situation in the area. While the whole world is watching Ukraine, another place where the security situation was recently escalating was Israel, giving […]
Parenthood is a complicated, often chaotic, adventure for everyone. Raising up young people to be kind, empathetic, strong, inquisitive adults is a challenge that few can claim to be prepared for. Still, we all try to get ready for anything that comes our way. We hope that our babies will be born healthy. When Debi […]
The story starts long ago. When I was growing up, my father was Jewish and my mother was Catholic. They attended services at a local synagogue before I was born up until the Rabbi’s sermon about how intermarriage was the greatest threat to Jewish survival. That was the last time my parents stepped foot in […]
Sometimes, the best way to open up your heart to another on Valentine’s Day is to show them a good movie or television show. Gal Gadot fans are in for a special treat this weekend at the theaters, so let’s quickly into what’s worth watching, reading on, and avoiding all together this weekend in Jewish […]
“Welcome to the tribe,” said the Jewish caterer, with sincerity and a big grin, as we met to discuss the food choices for my wedding reception. I had no idea the person in charge of catering would be Jewish, and I took it as a sign – a blessing of sorts. I was raised in […]
Filmmakers are finding new ways to explore the trauma and emotional affliction that millions of Jews suffered at the hands of the Nazis. Ben Sombogaart’s new film, My Best Friend Anne Frank unearths a new shade to the beloved legacy of Anne Frank. One of the most celebrated and revisited victims from that terrible time, […]
Nowadays, it seems like there’s an app for everything- ordering food, shopping for clothes, or even telling you what you missed when you go to the restroom during a movie. You can practically do anything you need with just a touch of a button on your phone. Now, there’s an app that takes advantage of […]
Imagine you’re a Scottish lord taking a nice stroll on a rather foggy morning when you suddenly come across three mysterious witches in your path. They mutter a set of words that entices you yet also frightens at the same time: through a series of events, mostly wicked, you will become the king of Scotland. […]
