Tu B’Shevat Haggadah/Guide
Tu B’Shevat “Tasting” Seder Rabbi Barbara Aiello WHAT YOU WILL NEED FOR YOUR TU B’SHEVAT SEDER: Candles, candle holders and matches Kiddush cup and small cups for guests Four types of wine or juice – white, red, rose`(pink) Fruits (see text to make your choices) Readings or poems about trees Song selections Opening Song: Hi […]
Making Virtual Chanukah Together
Aging Jewishly – What Our Traditions Tell Us about Growing Old Rabbi Barbara Aiello “So how do you like it?” Cora reached into her shopping bag and retrieved a lovely brass Chanukah menorah. “Beautiful, Sweetie,” said Dan, as he gave his wife of 48 years a peck on the cheek. “But we’ve got a menorah. […]
Chanukah Dreidel Hides
In Sardinia a Chanukah Dreidel Hides in Plain Sight On the Italian island of Sardinia it wouldn’t be Natale (Christmas) without spinning the “barrallicu,” (“bar-a-LEE-koo”), a wooden cube made to spin like… well exactly like the dreidel used by Jews throughout the world as a favorite Chanukah game! The similarities are stunning. Just like the […]
Discovering Hidden Jewish Identity – Becca’s Wooden Box
She arrived on Sunday morning, having received an announcement of our meeting several days before. At first she was not certain that the gathering would be appropriate for her, but curiosity overcame her fear. That’s when she found herself at the door of an apartment in Palermo, Sicily ready to begin what she hoped would […]
Rosh HaShanah Seder
The Rosh HaShanah Seder – Who Knew? As an Italian Jew I always knew my traditions were different from my Ashkenazi friends whose families came from Central and Eastern Europe. So different that I still blush when I think of the time when I included couscous at my Passover seder, much to the horror of […]
For B/B Mitzvah Families Forced to Cancel Their Simcha!
Many families both here in Europe as well as in the US and Canada were forced to cancel their Simcha. Travel restrictions, fear of becoming “stuck” for days or weeks on a cruise ship or in a foreign hotel, and general worries about the health of special guests such as grandparents and older relatives, not […]
Purim Mitzvot
The Mitzvot of Purim Sundown on Thursday, March 13th – nightfall on Friday, March 14th Special Activities to Celebrate the Holiday “anche in italiano” 1) Listen to the Megillah – The Story of Esther To relive the miraculous events of Purim, listen to the reading of the megillah (the Scroll of Esther). This can be […]
Italian Customs with Jewish Traditions
Southern Italian Wedding Customs Based on Ancient Jewish Traditions Thanks to the dogged efforts of Prof. Vincenzo Villella and others, historians now document that following the Expulsion of the Jews from Spain in 1492 and their escape during Inquisition times to Sicily and Calabria, more than 40 percent of the local population of southern Italy […]
A Dangerous Combination – Drug Abuse with Older Adults
It was touch and go but Sam survived open heart surgery. Although he had just turned 83, Sam was recovering well and his sons, Jake and Zack, were grateful and relieved. As they left the hospital Zack reminded Sam that they’d have to make a stop. “You only have enough pain pills for three days,” […]
When Divorced Parents Age
“When the telephone rang at 2:00 am I knew it had to be bad news… and it was,” says Kyle who, along with his older sister, shares the responsibility for caring for their aging parents. “My sister was out of town so I raced to the hospital to be with Mom. She lives alone and […]