Two remarkable women in my family personify two disparate attitudes about life.
Slaughtering the Pascal lamb represented breaking free from predetermined forces beyond our control.
Covering up the abusive treatment of women in Muslim-majority countries.
My 10-year-old son and his friends want to cross a busy street by themselves and get ice cream. Should I let him?
P.D. Eastman’s children’s book is really a tale about searching for your soul mate.
On a recent seder night, I experienced a redemption of sorts and a reminder that God knows what we need and sends it when we need it.
_(english).jpg "Shema Yisrael")
+.jpg "ABC's of Passover")
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(12) Anonymous, April 6, 2012 6:39 PM
Jewish Consciousness
Rabbi Yaakov, thanks for an interesting segment. In our less than perfect form of Pesach or Passover commemoration in my home, with the Seder we celebrate the freedom of our spiritual strength, we celebrate our meaninful relationship with Hashem and His Oneness. And equally important, we celebrate the essence and truth of the Torah, and the richness of tradition along with the right of Israel to exist. My best regard for you and your family.
(11) Tova Arons, April 3, 2012 4:54 PM
sad...
I am reading people's comments and it breaks my heart. Thanksgiving-like dinner? Family get together?Everyone talks about assimilation so casually and matter-of-factly as if it's a law of nature instead of a choice. My husband and I come from the families of intermarrige, assimilation, and not-even-a-trace of "tradition". But my husband always asks a question: When your child comes to you and asks: "Mama/Daddy, I am Jewish. What does it mean?" - what are you going to answer? that you like bagels with lox? that you do seder once a year? that your great-great-grandmother used to light Shabbos candles? That's why we do seder, that's why we chose to become observant and give our children Jewish upbringing so they know what it means to be Jewish, so they are proud to be Jewish, so marrying a non-Jew is the same choice for them as jumping off the roof of a skyscraper. I so wish that you could come to our seder and enjoy a real seder without ipads, cell phones, tv, gossip etc. Please put some meaning into your seder this year, remember where you came from and think about where you are going. Chag Kasher ve'Sameach.
(10) Robert, April 3, 2012 4:41 PM
Work & personal redemption?
I once saw that someone had noted that Pesach is the most observed Jewish holiday, and that person noted that it is also the holiday that requires the most work. Even those who are not as observant will put much effort into making a Pesach seder. Perhaps it is the very work that we put into Pesach that ends up being the payoff for everyone's own personal redemption during the seder and during Pesach?
(9) Zarayah, April 3, 2012 3:05 AM
Awakening, Freedom and transformation
Pesach awakens an ancient memory of a people becoming free and aids us in the transformation of our souls in recognizing our Oneness with our Creator. Pesach invokes joy, light, love, peace, restoration, revelation, transformation, truth, understanding and wisdom for the Jewish family.
(8) Anonymous, April 3, 2012 1:02 AM
To have a meal together with the remaining few Jewish relatives
Like most of Non-Orthodox Jews, most of my family has intermarried and a few have fully converted to Christianity. But, we get together for one Seder with matza at a non-kosher meal and mostly talk about liberal politics with very little discussion about Judaism. It's sad ,but I believe that we reflect most the American Jewish families. My wife and I realize more and more that assimilation has taken its toll on the extended family and that the children and grandchildren of our relatives will probably just celebrate Easter or nothing at all. As my 24 yr. old nephew recently said to me '' why should I be Jewish at all?'' He's dating a non-Jewish girl and his Judaism ended after his Bar Mitzvah. Welcome to the state of American Non-Orthodox Judaism!!