The Song of Songs
“Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth, for your love is better than wine. Because of the fragrance of your goodly oils, your name is ‘oil poured forth.’ Therefore, the maidens…
Seven Days to the Sea
The Passover celebration lasts seven days in Israel and eight days, outside of Israel. (For more information as to why, please click here). The first day (and second, outside of Israel)…
Time Off to Think
Designate time during the holiday to contemplate the relationship between God and the Jewish people.
Chol Hamoed
Most holidays in Western society last for a single day, which is often extended into the weekend. And, while most people are aware that Chanukah is celebrated for eight days, many people…
Holiday Greetings
On Chol Hamoed, the intermediary days of Passover, take a moment to wish others a wonderful holiday with the words Moadim l’Simcha or Gut Moed.
Seek the Answer
The Four Questions (Mah Nishtana – What makes it different?) is one of the most famous features of the Passover seder. In Ashkenazi homes, these four questions are recited by the youngest…
Anticipating the Seder
Spend a few minutes this afternoon reviewing the Haggadah before the seder to make it a wonderfully meaningful experience for your seder guests.
Uncategorized,Weekly Message,Passover
Passover 2024-5784
Urgent message: It’s hard to believe that after all these months since the murderous attack on October 7th, that the most challenging situation in Israel continues, not only with little…
The Great Shabbat
This Shabbat, the Shabbat immediately preceding Passover is known as Shabbat HaGadol, the Great Shabbat. It is best known for being the Shabbat on which the rabbi of the community (or…
Make it a Great Shabbat
Celebrate Shabbat HaGadol by learning more about Passover traditions and rituals. There’s also a significance to the name Shabbat HaGadol, the Great Shabbat, in that it focuses both on…
Searching for Chametz
On Passover, Jews are commanded to get rid of all “chametz” (leaven) which may be in their possession. It is not unusual to begin cleaning and scrubbing the home weeks before the holiday.…
Plan Your Search
Be sure to set aside time on Sunday night to search your home for any remaining chametz.
Setting the Seder Table
Before beginning the seder this coming Monday night, it is important to make certain to prepare everything that will be necessary. No seder table is complete without the following items:…
Ready, Set Seder!
Aside from purchasing the items that you will need for your seder table, watch NJOP’s Passover Seder 101 web series featuring Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald. Click here for 15 short videos…
Four Cups of Wine
Like almost all festival meals, the Passover seder begins with Kiddush, the sanctification of the day over a cup of wine. On Passover, however, the first cup of wine is followed by three…
Shop Early
Choose from a wide selection of kosher wine and enhance the experience for yourself and for those guests who may be joining you at your seder.
Metzorah 5784-2024
Urgent message: It’s hard to believe that more than six months have passed since the murderous attack on October 7th, and that the most challenging situation in Israel continues, with…
Passover Story in Brief
On Passover, we commemorate the exodus from Egyptian slavery. The following is a brief summary: Jacob’s family came to Egypt to escape a famine in Canaan. Joseph, Jacob’s son and the…
Start Here
To prepare for Passover and enhance your seder experience, delve into the Haggadah to learn more about our collective Jewish history that permeates the text. Click here to download Jewish…
Asking for Prayers
People “network” for many different reasons. Some people use networking to promote their businesses; others to share jokes or recipes. In many circles, networking, such as that found on…
Say a Little Prayer
Never hesitate to pray for those in need, even if it is just uttering an on-the-spot request. Prayer is clearly an essential part of the process of seeking repentance. In order to truly…
A Wellspring of Technology
If you follow @JewishTweets or are a Facebook follower of Jewish Treats, you may have noticed the disproportionate number of technical and medical breakthroughs that occur in the State of…
The Israeli Tech Training Ground
Marvel at the incredible accomplishments of many of Israel’s scientists and entrepreneurs in Israel’s booming high tech and medical industry and you’ll likely find that quite a few were…
Good Fences Make Good Neighbors?
The term “ghetto” has a sad connotation in Jewish history and a very negative association when referring to certain poor urban areas. The term’s etymology, however, originates from a…
Living Among Other Jews
While antisemitic forces often mandated that Jews live in ghettos, there were times in Jewish history when Jews opted to live in separate, concentrated Jewish communities. Living among…
Oh My Gosh! Passover Is Coming!
It’s our wake-up call. As today is Rosh Chodesh Nissan, the first day of the month of Nissan, Passover is only two weeks away. The intensive physical and emotional preparations for…
Start Planning
To enjoy a beautiful and transformational Passover holiday, begin removing leavened food items and make plans to put away your year-round utensils as well.
Tazria 5784-2024
Urgent message: It’s hard to believe that more than six months have passed since the murderous attack on October 7th, and that the most challenging situation in Israel continues, with…
Eclipse
In recognition of today’s total solar eclipse, Jewish Treats offers a Jewish angle for consideration. One might expect the sages to record eclipses as moments of awe, but instead the…