Traditions

Yiddish Part One

The Yiddish language is a western Germanic oral and written dialect used by the Ashkenazi Jews of central and eastern Europe for the past millennium.

Traditions

Yiddish Part One

Halacha

The word Halakhah comes from the root word halakh which means “to go” and it is the name given to the collective teachings of Jewish laws which involve the regulation of various aspects of Jewish…

Traditions

Halacha

Shema

"Shema Yisrael, Adonai Elohenu, Adonai Echad." These wordsare the first words in every mezuzah. They are written in everytefillin and are recited every day by some Jewish people. Theyare considered…

Traditions

Shema

Engaged? Jewish Traditions Before a Wedding

Seven Jewish customs and traditions observed before marriage.

Traditions

Engaged? Jewish Traditions Before a Wedding

Mezuzah on the Doorpost

If you visit a Jewish home one thing that you may see is a mezuzah. A mezuzah is a small container which is commonly rectangular in shape which can be decorated with a variety of designs.

Traditions

Mezuzah on the Doorpost

Mixing Matters

"...You shall not boil a young goat in its mother's milk." Deuteronomy 14:21 Many take this verse to mean it isn't kosher to have meat and dairy in the same meal, or even have milk and meat in the…

Traditions

Mixing Matters

Tallit

A tallit is a prayer shawl. Tallitot (plural of tallit) are rectangular in shape and have fringes called tzitzits at the four corners.

Traditions

Tallit

The Chuppa

In the Song of Solomon we read “He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.” Song of Solomon 2:4. Love is a beautiful thing and if you have ever been to a Jewish wedding…

Traditions

The Chuppa

How to Make Kiddish

Kiddush, like candles, sanctifies the Sabbath. Making kiddush is a simple religious act that sanctifies the Jewish Sabbath, making it distinct from the six other days of the week. It requires little…

Traditions

How to Make Kiddish

The Shochet-Jewish Tradition

Have you ever wondered what a shochet is? It is known that Torah observant believers keep a special tradition to avoid certain kinds of animals such as pigs, shell fish, and other creatures forbidden…

Traditions

The Shochet-Jewish Tradition

Americans Try Israeli Food for the First Time

Traditions

Americans Try Israeli Food for the First Time

Shabbat Candles

One of the most well known Jewish customs connected with the observance of Shabbat (the Sabbath) is the lighting of lamps or candles before sunset on Friday night.

Traditions

Shabbat Candles

The Bar Mitzvah and Jewish Tradition

The word Bar Mitzvah (spelled בר מצוה in Hebrew) means "one to whom the commandments apply".

Traditions

The Bar Mitzvah and Jewish Tradition

Yiddish Part Two

Prior to the Holocaust, Yiddish, a language more resembling Middle High German than anything else phonetically, was widely spoken by 11 million people, not as a national language or local tongue, but…

Traditions

Yiddish Part Two