On Israel’s Birthday
Posts Tagged‘Holidays’
Remembering 1948
As we prepare to celebrate Israel’s 60th birthday, Gary Rosenblatt writes about an effort to preserve the testimonies of those who were there at the beginning. Take a look.
From the Mouths of Babes
Stated by my cousin’s son, E. (age 4), at our family Seder Saturday evening:
“You can’t eat pasta during Passover.”
In the News
When I moved (back) to New York last winter, my parents immediately subscribed me to The Jewish Week (thanks, Mom and Dad!). And I have to admit that as each week nears its end, I really appreciate its arrival in my mailbox. Among the items that particularly caught my attention this week:
–Rabbi David Goldstrom’s description of Chanukah in Baghdad;
–Rabbi David Wolpe’s explanation of why we place pebbles on graves; and
–A story I’ve followed elsewhere in the New York press, about an anti-Semitic attack on the subway (and the Muslim passenger who interceded on the victims’ behalf).
Chanukah Lit
Have there always been so many wonderful essays written about Chanukah? Or is this just the first year I’m noticing? (Or does it simply have something to do with heavy-duty anthology promotion?) For an officially minor holiday, Chanukah seems to be inspiring some truly lovely writing. Here are two more finds: Amy Klein’s “Hanukkah Is in the Holiday Season, Too,” and David Bezmozgis’s “Festival of Birthdays.”