By Rabbi Elchonon Chaikin, Chabad of Greater Dayton Since I was a child, Purim has been one of the year’s greatest highlights. I continue to look forward to it each year as winter comes to a close. The memories of seeing who had the loudest grogger, of making sure to

Rabbi Karen N. Bodney-Halasz, Temple Israel As Purim approaches, my thoughts turn to our heroine, Queen Esther. Though introduced to us merely for her beauty, Esther is remembered for her bravery and strength of spirit. When Queen Esther learned of Haman’s wicked plan to destroy all the Jews in the

By Sheri Silver, JTA My love of Italian cuisine was honed at a very early age — there was no lack of Italian restaurants, pizzerias and bakeries. If I had to pick my favorite Italian pastry, it would be no contest. I am #teamcannoli all the way. Something about the

By Shlomo Schwartz, JTA On Purim, it is traditional to eat food with fillings hidden inside to symbolize the hidden nature of the holiday’s miracle. Here is an Arab dish that has become a staple in many Israeli restaurants and homes. Shishbarak is a variation of ravioli. I first encountered

Female religious leaders across Jewish movements reflect By Alina Dain Sharon, JNS.org In the Book of Esther 4:14, Mordechai encourages his niece, Queen Esther, to use her influence with King Ahashverus. “For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place,

By Rabbi Shmuel Klatzkin, Chabad of Greater Dayton For the second time in three years, we are in a leap year. Our Jewish calendar is not just trying to stay in sync with the sun, as with the Gregorian and Julian calendars, but with the moon as well. Running shorter months,

By Rabbi Shmuel Klatzkin, Chabad of Greater Dayton I grew up in a home where the politics was middle-of-the-road, Cold War-consensus Republican. When, as a high-schooler, caught up in the growing disenchantment with the war in Vietnam, my politics veered wildly leftward, it led to some high-heat political debates at home.

Creative hamantashen JNS.org We all recognize that poppy seed or jam taste when we bite into hamantashen on Purim every year. But given the right filling or dough, the traditional pastry has a lot more to offer. Hailed as the “Queen of Kosher” and the “Jewish Rachael Ray,” best-selling author

By Rabbi Haviva Horvitz, Temple Beth Sholom, Middletown, Ohio It is safe to say that there are many Jewish holidays which could be described as: “they tried to kill us, they failed, let’s eat.” But none more so than Purim. If you do not know the story, the Book of

By Chavie Lieber, JTA Just because they’re the same shape doesn’t mean they have the same soul. Hamantashen, the Purim season’s traditional triangle-shaped cookie, are conventionally filled with jam, but the pastry has come a long way since its namesake ruled in ancient Persia. From New Orleans, where hamantashen centers