Tag: Food

Food in the Talmud: A Window Into a Distant Past

Food is a way to discover layers of knowledge, connect to an ancient memory, and an invitation to revisit the lives of our distant ancestors.

Daniela Rusowsky February 13, 2025 Food Living

A Social Justice HaRachaman

God wants us to act and open our hearts. This prayer reminds us that when we do justice work, we are doing G!d’s work.

Rabbi Dr. J.B. Sacks September 23, 2024 Blessings Daily Living

Blessings Over Food and Drink

There are many blessings over food and drink. Learn how to determine what blessing to use before and after eating a meal.

Rabbi Jeremy Markiz July 17, 2024 Blessings Every Day

Celebrating Shavu’ot with Seven Species Cookies

What better way to celebrate Shavu’ot than by making a delicious treat from these seven species?

Cantor Sarah Myerson June 7, 2024 Food Holidays

Why Doesn’t This Sephardi Jew Eat Rice on Passover?

There is a powerful meaning in continuing traditions that I inherited directly from my family. Kitniyot is only a part of that story.

Rabbi Arie Hasit April 17, 2024 Holidays How to observe Passover

Embracing Kitniyot on Passover

This essay advocates for Ashkenazi Jews to embrace kitniyot on Passover, to enhance dietary diversity and align with modern interpretations.

Eric M. Leiderman April 15, 2024 Holidays How to observe Passover

A Whoop and Two Challahs: Doubling Our Loaves on Shabbat

A whoop and two challahs! Learn why doubling our loaves on Shabbat is important and how to observe this mitzvah.

Rabbi Adam J. Rosenbaum April 5, 2024 Blessings Erev Shabbat

How I Dip Maror in Charoset

Wrapping and dipping maror in charoset at Seder can be part of a family tradition. Explore this one to add more to your own Seder ...

Hazzan Sara Geffen Geller April 5, 2024 Holidays Passover

The Secrets of Matzah

There are so many secrets hidden away within Matzah that ask to be uncovered, offering us spiritual wisdom.

Rabbi Mordechai Rackover March 27, 2024 Holidays Passover

Dip Your Karpas in Salt Water and Honey?

Dipping Karpas into salt water at the Passover Seder has a mysterious history that invites us to create new dipping and meaning opportunities!

Rabbi Jeremy Markiz March 27, 2024 Holidays How to observe Passover

Embracing Change: A Call to Rethink the Passover Seder Plate

How and why can you create a plant-based seder plate? We embrace change during Passover, especially in rethinking the seder plate.

Rabbi Jonathan Bernhard, Executive Director - Jewish Initiative for Animals, Kayla Kaplan, M.S. March 13, 2024 Holidays Passover

Pesah and Continued Kashrut Slavery: A Conceptual Reflection

A conceptual reflection of Pesah and Kashrut can bring more meaning to how we follow the halakhah of food on Pesah.

Rabbi Aaron Alexander March 12, 2024 Holidays Passover

How to Incorporate Kitniyot into Your Passover

Though the Conservative Movement has allowed eating kitniyot on Passover, many still do not. How can we incorporate kitniyot this year?

Nathalie Ross February 29, 2024 Every Day Food

Confessions of a Fussy Kiddush Nosher

Though Kiddush in synagogue is a great for connecting with community, food options can be challenging and a limiting factor for picky eaters.

Rabbi Adam J. Rosenbaum January 30, 2024 Food Holidays

Celebrating the High Holy Days From Home

Celebrating the high holy days from home gives us ample opportunity to bring the sacred even further into our lives.

Rabbi Sydni Adler Rubinstein August 13, 2023 Elul High Holidays

The Torah of the Summer Barbecue

Summer barbecues are great for relaxation and rejuvenation, and an opportunity to extend and receive hospitality like Abraham and Sarah.

Rabbi Mark Asher Goodman June 22, 2023 Food Hospitality

An En-Dairying Holiday: The Custom of Enjoying Milk Meals on Shavuot

While the original reason for consuming milk meals on Shavuot has likely been lost, many theories and interpretations remain.

Rabbi Dr. J.B. Sacks May 10, 2023 Holidays Observing Shavuot

How is Kosher Slaughtering Performed?

To take even animal life, requires that the shochet be wholly attuned to the serious nature of the slaughter and never callous or uncaring.

Rabbi Paul S. Drazen z"l, The Observant Life (Book) May 8, 2023 Every Day Kashrut

Soaking and Salting Kosher Meat

After an animal has been butchered, inspected, and forbidden parts removed, the meat still needs to have as much blood removed as possible.

Rabbi Paul S. Drazen z"l, The Observant Life (Book) May 8, 2023 Every Day Kashrut

Understanding Kosher Supervision

In general, one should only consume processed foods prepared under the supervision of a rabbi or an accepted kashrut supervision agency.

Rabbi Paul S. Drazen z"l, The Observant Life (Book) May 1, 2023 Every Day Kashrut

Mujaddara on Passover

How my family created and passed down cultural traditions, and how the Conservative Teshuvah on Kitniyot impacts our life outside the academy.

Emily Jaeger March 19, 2023 Food Halakhah

Why I Love Hamentaschen

Making hamentaschen has been a powerful tradition for me throughout my entire life and brings me tremendous joy.

Elana Neshkes March 5, 2023 Holidays Purim

What is Pareve Food?

Some foods, neither meat nor dairy in origin, are known as pareve and government standards may differ from Rabbinical definitions.

Rabbi Paul S. Drazen z"l, The Observant Life (Book) February 14, 2023 Every Day Kashrut

Which animals are kosher?

The Torah says which animals are kosher and may be eaten (after an appropriate process) and which animals are not.

Rabbi Paul S. Drazen z"l, The Observant Life (Book) February 14, 2023 Every Day Guidelines for Keeping Kosher

Why Keep Kosher?

Given the importance of kashrut in Jewish life, it is unfortunate that so much about it is so widely misunderstood.

Rabbi Paul S. Drazen z"l, The Observant Life (Book) February 14, 2023 Every Day Kashrut

Alcohol and Kosher Supervision

What alcohol requires a hechsher or kosher supervision? It largely depends on the process by which they are made and the ingredients used.

Rabbi Paul S. Drazen z"l, The Observant Life (Book) February 8, 2023 Every Day Kashrut

Are Food Additives Kosher?

The Conservative and Orthodox movements differ with regard to the kashrut of certain chemical food additives.

Rabbi Paul S. Drazen z"l, The Observant Life (Book) February 7, 2023 Every Day Kashrut

The Four Mitzvot of Purim

Purim has something for everyone. In celebrating the Purim, our tradition outlines four special mitzvot for the holiday.

Rabbi Becca Walker February 5, 2023 Food Holidays

DIY Hanukkah and the Potato Menorah

DIY Hanukkah: My custom of making a potato menorah and why DIY Judaica can provide a crucial connection to Judaism.

Emily Jaeger December 11, 2022 Food Hanukkah

Customs for Hanukkah

Beyond lighting the menorah, Hanukkah customs include special foods, the dreidel and gift-giving, especially when spending time with family.

Rabbi Alan Lucas, The Observant Life (Book) December 6, 2022 Food Hanukkah

My Bangin’ Rosh Hashanah Seder

Emily Jaeger explains to us: What is the Rosh Hashanah seder, how do we perform it, and why you might consider doing one too.

Emily Jaeger September 15, 2022 Food High Holidays

Rosh Hashanah At Home

Personal and at-home Rosh Hashanah rituals include candle lighting, eating apples with honey, and sharing meals.

The Observant Life (Book), Rabbi Alan Lucas September 15, 2022 High Holidays Holidays

10 Reasons Shavuot Might Be Your New Favorite Holiday

Rabbi Tova Leibovic-Douglas offers us 10 great reasons why Shavuot might be your new favorite Jewish holiday.

Rabbi Tova Leibovic-Douglas June 3, 2022 Shavuot Shavuot Reflections and Inspiration