Rosh HaShanah

throwing sins away

Rosh HaShanah includes “Tashlich” Throwing Sins Away   Back in the day, on one of the first two days of Rosh HaShanah, Jews traditionally walked together to a stream, pond, lake, river, or even an ocean. The idea was to find a body of flowing water, preferably filled with swimming fish, so that we Jews […]

Back to School in Italy

  It’s back to school in Bella Italia with school bells ringing (literally) in Serrastretta, my tiny village in the mountains of Calabria. Children in many of our mountain communities will attend classes from 8:00 am until 4:30 pm, six days a week, Saturdays included!  Although students are permitted one hour for “pranzo,” (lunch), that still amounts […]