holidays - Building a Jewish Life

What to Expect at the Seder Tonight and Tomorrow Night

Tonight is the first seder! If all goes as planned, you’re going to have a great time! And if not, ur doin it wrong. (If you don’t know this internet meme, check out this, this, and this. All are “safe for work,” assuming you’re supposed to be on the internet at all!) In all seriousness, […]

Kitteh Joos No Can Haz Cheezburgers

For your Pesach enjoyment, the LOLcat Passover Story. If you don’t already know the LOLcats, they are definitely a guilty pleasure of mine! (And there is a project to translate the entire Christian Bible-which means the “Old Testament” too!-into “lolspeak.” It’s called the LOLcat Bible Translation Project.)

Thoughts on Exile as Passover Approaches

If you have a machzor set, you should review the Pesach machzor before Passover begins. It’s very helpful. I began reviewing mine, and the introduction has a very interesting description of the three reactions people have to exile (galus/galut). As exile is an important theme of Pesach, I thought I would share two discussions of […]

So What Exactly Are Chametz, Kitniyot, and Gebruchts?

A Jew can not “possess” or benefit from chametz during the 8 days of Passover (7 in Israel), which additionally includes erev Pesach (the day when Pesach begins at sunset). Any remaining chametz must be destroyed, sold, or nullified by a certain hour on the morning of erev Pesach. The hour depends on your location, […]

The Fast of the Firstborn

Sunrise to sunset on April 18 this year is the Fast of the Firstborn. This fast commemorates the saving of the Israelite firstborns from the final plague: death of the firstborn. All the firstborns of Egypt, the children of the garbage man to the baker to Pharaoh himself, died. Only certain firstborns are required to fast. There […]

Shabbat Shalom! The Pets and Pesach Edition

Using the Star K’s kosher-for-Pesach pet food list (locate the PDF under the food lists), I finally purchased my pet food for Pesach. For eight days and three upset pet tummies, I spent $70 on Science Diet food. The other brand (Blue Wilderness) would have been $100. I’m a little shocked, as you might imagine. One more reason […]

Chodesh tov! What’s Rosh Chodesh?

Yesterday was Rosh Chodesh Nisan. So what is Rosh Chodesh? Rosh Chodesh is the first day of a new lunar month. Depending on the month and year, Rosh Chodesh can be either one or two days long. The term literally translates as “head of the month,” just as Rosh HaShanah is “head of the year.” […]

Pesach Cleaning Accomplishment!

How are you doing with your Pesach cleaning? I finally got some done. The bedroom and walk-in closet are chametz-free! Maybe even clean!

The Ideal Passover: Go Away!

With all the effort that goes into Pesach, the ideal plan is to not have to make that effort! Go away from home and let someone else do the hard work for you! There is big business in “kosher for Pesach” resorts in Mexico, Arizona, Florida, New York, Israel, and just about everywhere else Jews […]