Upcoming Lectures, Presentations and Services
IN PERSON AT THE SAVANT HOTEL, LAMEZIA TERME Rosh HaShanah Shofar and Tashlich Service with Rabbi Barbara and violinist Angela Amato Sunday, September 13, 202612 Noon – 2 pmFollowed by a New Year’s pranzo / lunch cost: Donation only CLICK HERE to register Virtual ZOOM Service – Yom Kippur and Yiskor Reading of the Names […]
A Tisha B’Av Story
Tisha B’Av – A Jewish Memorial Day to Honor the Memory of the Jews of the Inquisition Tisha B’Av is a day of Jewish mourning. It falls on the 9th day in the Hebrew month of Av which, this year begins at sundown on July 22 and concludes at sundown July 23. There are mourning […]
Virtual Tu B’Shevat Seder
Join Rabbi Barbara for a VIRTUAL How-To Sephardi Tu B’Shevat Seder Sunday, January 25, 2026 2:00 pm US Eastern / 8:00 pm Italy CLICK for Zoom Link We will make our model seder together using Rabbi Barbara’s Haggadah/Guide that is available for you: CLICK HERE We’ll have blessings, readings and three groups of fruits and […]
Christ is still the Christmas Headline
A Christmas Conundrum – An American Rabbi in Catholic Italy: Even here in Italy it’s headline news that public Christmas celebrations in the US are under siege. But the cream in the cannoli (Italy’s version of “the icing on the cake”), is that a US military base has been forced to dismantle the entire nativity […]
La Befana – In Southern Italy This Whimsical Character Embraces Diversity and Appeals to All
On the night of January 5 children throughout Italy and in particular in Calabria, hang their stockings from the fireplace mantle or place their shoes by the bedroom door, all in anticipation of a beloved old lady who will slide down the chimney or squeeze through the keyhole to bring gifts to the sleeping boys […]
Why We Jews Should Share Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” with Our Kids
In his recent book, “52 Lessons From A Christmas Carol.” Author Bob Welch takes us back to the mid 1800’s when, thanks to two centuries of Puritan rule, “The Christmas spirit had fizzled across the land.” Welch reports that Puritan law specifically prohibited Christmas celebrations and decreed that “factories remain up and running throughout Christmas […]
Yarmulke Game
The Yarmulke Game “Jill and Josh – June 21, 1978” “Chloe’s Bat Mitzvah 2007” “Mazel Tov Sam and Zach 2016” “ I just don’t know what to do with these,” said Charna as she lifted a handful of commemorative yarmulkes from a bulging dresser drawer. “I’ve hung on to them for years,” she said, recalling […]
