Beth El and Disney together for one day

Countless studies have shown that engaging and fun childhood education experiences yield enriched and productive teenage and adult lives. That’s one reason why preschools tend to make every effort to prevent turning children away because of financial difficulty. In light of this, the leadership of Beth El Synagogue and the Aleph Preschool has found a creative and fun new initiative to augment the upwards of $50,000 they already allocate yearly in financial aid.

Written by on 12th September 2013

Travel To Israel With Temple Israel

Temple Israel wants all of our young members to have the opportunity to travel to Israel and explore its rich culture and history. That is why we are partnering with Kesher Birthright to offer a FREE Birthright trip of Minnesotans 22-26 over winter break! We invite you to come and get to know Israel; learn about the ancient history in Jerusalem, understand the founding of the modern State and see the world class city that has emerged in Tel Aviv, float on the Dead Sea, reflect in the desert, and understand the commitment of our people that has made the desert bloom.

Written by on 1st September 2013

Music and Activities For Your Rosh Hashanah

Rosh Hashanah is fast approaching this year, but it is not too late to start creating fun memories with your kids as you prepare for the New Year. Ask all of your friends what they remember about their family traditions for Rosh Hashanah and everyone has apples dipped in honey on their memory list. The apples are just starting to show up at the Farmers Markets, so grab the family, load up on some apples and try out some of these activities and recipes to put you in the holiday mood. Add some music to the mix and the memories will last a lifetime.

Written by on 29th August 2013

6 Steps To A Popular Jewish Blog (Lazy Edition)

We saw this post on Pop Chassid, another great Jewish blog, and we just had to re-post it here. He laid out his six most important tips for creating a successful Jewish blog, and well, we’ll let you judge them for yourself.

Written by on 27th August 2013

A Sukkah Party Not To Be Missed

In rabbinic texts, Sukkot is chag, the holiday. In temple times, when a person said just chag there would be no question what they meant – as the culmination of the year’s intense beginning, Sukkot was the festival, the moment of release, the time of our greatest joy. We get ourselves outside our homes, outside our routines, outside our usual relationships, and in the liminal vulnerability of our sukkot, spaces that are not inside and not fully outdoors, we experience the pure joy of exposure in company. In temple times, that would have included the joy of the greatest national barbeque of all time.

Written by on 25th August 2013

Five Unexpected Reasons To Visit Israel

There are probably a million reasons why you should keep Israel as your top destination choice. Not only does it happen to be the birthplace of the Jewish religion, but there are lots of totally rad things happening, from the tech start-ups, wineries, parties and food- this round up ain’t your grandma’s list for visiting the Holy Land. Check it out, you might be pleasantly surprised.

Written by on 23rd August 2013