What’s a Rabbi Doing at the Nativity Scene?
By Rabbi Barbara Aiello Last year, 2024, I had an experience probably unrivaled in the rabbinical world; dressed in my rabbinical robe and traditional striped tallit, I joined the residents of a neighboring town to participate in the Italian traditional “presepe...
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...
Getting Divorce Kids Through The Holiday Season
Very soon, Chanukah and Christmas will begin. But for many children whose parents are divorced, the holiday season can be at best difficult and at worst traumatic. Getting divorce kids through the holiday season may require a little extra attention. Before I became a...
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...
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