Rabbi David Saperstein: Re-inventing Chanukah in America
This post originally appeared on the Washington Post’s “On Faith” column on December 24, 2011.
The Jewish Commitment to Religious Liberty from the Maccabees to Present Day
This post was written by RAC Legislative Assistant Molly Benoit as part of the Union for Reform Judaism's "Ten Minutes of Torah" series. As a child of the 90’s I learned the Chanukah story in many contexts, from the traditional religious school recounting of the miraculous oil to the mem
The Miracle of (Solar) Light at Temple Sinai
'Tis the Season
Our rabbis taught: When Adam saw the days getting shorter, he said, "Woe is me, perhaps because of my sin, the world around me is being darkened and returning to chaos; this is my punishment from heaven!" So he began an eight day fast.
Galilee Diary: Seasons greetings
You shall make no covenant with them and their gods. They shall not remain in your land, lest they cause you to sin against Me; for you will serve their gods - and it will prove a snare to you.
-Exodus 23:32-33
Hanukkah Reflects America's Religious Liberty: Vignettes From Montana, Idaho, and Utah
In 1974 in Philadelphia, a small menorah was lit in front of Independence Hall, home to the iconic Liberty Bell. The menorah was crude and made of wood. Five people attended what is now considered to be the first Chabad-Lubavitch public-menorah lighting.
Hanukkah Video Round-Up: Which is Your Favorite?
It's that time of year again: Hanukkah parody video season! We've rounded up some of our favorites, and we want to hear from you: Which Hanukkah song is really spinning your dreidel this year?
How Can We Deal with the So-Called "December Dilemma"?
The challenges and contradictions of being a Jew in America are never more obvious than in the month of December. Christmas is unavoidable from before Thanksgiving until well after New Year's. Every year, I wonder how much I should participate in the hoopla.
Galilee Diary: Distance
Asher did not dispossess the inhabitants of Acco or the inhabitants of Sidon, Ahlab, Achziv, Helbah, Aphik, and Rehob. So the Asherites dwelt in the midst of the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land, for they did not dispossess them.
Oy Tannenbaum!
It was over brunch on our fourth date when I told him, "This can't go anywhere...I’m Jewish and you’re not." After years of Jewish camp, Hebrew school and lectures from my parents, I was fairly certain that the eleventh commandment was “Thou shalt meet a nice Jewish boy, get married and have beau