When you first begin observing Shabbat, the food issue can be the most daunting. How do I cook for Shabbos without cooking on Shabbos?? For a long time, I didn’t eat hot food on Shabbat. (That’s ok, but be prepared for karaite jokes!) If you’re not ready to tackle the crockpot, hot plate, or blech, […]
Shabbat-Friendly Foods for the Newbie Read Post »
I hadn’t planned to write about slichot for another week or two, but apparently Sephardi custom is to say Slichot for the entire month of Elul. That means they start tonight. Or so I think. Ask your rabbi. Ashkenazim should begin saying slichot on Saturday night, September 24, 2011. Since it’ll be after midnight, it
Slichot in a Nutshell: Everything You Need to Know for the High Holidays Read Post »
Bentch is a very commonly-used term, but it can be hard for people to understand since it sounds exactly like the English word “bench.” So today, we’re gonna bentch licht, bentch gomel, and bentch after dinner! Bentch (pronounced like and sometimes written as “bench”) is the Yiddish word for “pray.” It’s a verb. “Bentching”
What Does “Bentch” Mean in Jewish Life? Read Post »
There is a fantastic post over at Out of the Ortho Box: The 10 Things I Want My Shabbat Guests to Know. What do you wish you’d known? For me, it was the toilet.
What You Should Know Before Going to Your First Orthodox Shabbat Dinner Read Post »
Tonight begins the two days of rosh chodesh Elul, the new month of Elul. (Don’t get confused. Tonight starts the last day of Av, and tomorrow night starts the first day of Elul. Both days are rosh chodesh Elul. That’s two-day rosh chodesh for you!) Elul is the last month of the Jewish calendar, as
What Is Elul and Why Does It Matter? Read Post »
I thought I was done with hurricanes when I left South Carolina, and done with earthquakes when I left California. This week has been devoted to proving me wrong. New York City saw an earthquake earlier this week and will soon deal with at least a category 1 hurricane. Excuse me while I go batten
Me, Myself, and Irene Read Post »
Shabbos Cholent really isn’t hard to make. Open your fridge. Is there food in it? Good. You’re on the right track already. Put your crockpot on the counter. If you’re really fancy, put a crockpot bag in there to make it easier to clean up. If you’re not so fancy, you can spray some Pam
The Only Cholent Recipe You’ll Ever Need Read Post »
Bentching gomel is a special prayer that allows you to thank Hashem for delivering you from danger. (Imagine being at a football game…”Go, Mel!” It doesn’t rhyme with camel.) You must have actually been in danger. Close to danger isn’t enough. You have defied death, so now you should thank Hashem in public during the Torah
Phrase of the Day: Bentching Gomel Read Post »
What happens when your community standards (which are either halacha or custom) are not the standards of a place you travel to? Let’s discuss some examples (this is not exhaustive): You live in the diaspora, so you celebrate an “extra” day of yom tov for 8 days of Pesach. You travel to Israel, where Pesach
UPDATED: Your Community Standards v. Travel Read Post »
Gwyneth Paltrow has announced that she is raising her children Jewishly. US Weekly has one version of the story: “Gwyneth Paltrow: I’m Raising Apple and Moses Jewish.” However, the story is wrong in that the episode did not show anyone giving Paltrow lessons in Jewish halacha about matrilineal descent. While I’m sure it came up in
News: Gwyneth Paltrow Announces She’s Raising Her Children Jewish …Huh? Read Post »