Iyov – The Suffering and Silence of Job — By Ben
This Sunday we’ll observe the fast of Tammuz, kicking off the mourning period known as the 3 Weeks. The ritual culminates with Tisha B’Av which remembers the destruction of the […]
Category Archives: Holidays
Shavuos, Ruth, and Being Chosen — By Ben
I don’t recall the exact circumstance, but somewhere in the deep recesses of my memory I remember talking to a devout person of a different religion. They had found out […]
The Free Will Choice of Passover — By Ben
Sitting on my desk are two pieces of electronic equipment. One is a Wacom Cintiq 21UX drawing tablet monitor. The other is a Nintendo Switch. Neither of them are particularly […]
Purim: Stroke of Bad Luck and Blindness — By Ben
My mother may have had a stroke, God forbid. On Monday, my parents were taking the dog for a walk and on the way home, my mother felt tired. Upon […]
Adar – What if You Had an Extra Month? — By Ben
If you count your months via January, February, and March opposed to Tishrei, Cheshvan, and Kislev, you’ve probably noticed that Jewish holidays bounce around a bit. Some years Chanukah is […]
How Christmas Made Me Shomer Shabbos — By Ben
My journey from Reform to observance was a slow and leisurely one. It was nice being able to gradually pick up mitzvahs while rejecting the more difficult ones, saying, “I’m […]
Chanukah – Why is this Light Different from all other Light? – By Ben
It is easy to disregard Chanukah. It’s the most secularized holiday. It’s not in the Torah. And its iconic miracle is so overdone, it’s a bit of a joke. However, […]
Yom Kippur – Teshuvah Isn’t Just about You — By Ben
With the Day of Atonement upon us, many are scrambling to complete a spiritual accounting to get that cleanest of clean slates. But in the midst of all the Yom […]
Rosh Hashanah’s Rule of Threes – by Ben
Rosh Hashanah can feel overwhelming, if not impenetrable. Even if you pray three times a day, you can find yourself in unfamiliar territory. And that’s just for the service. What […]
Iyar – Making the Bitter Sweet — By Ben
Wedding planning is fun. Does sarcasm come across on a blog? My wedding is almost exactly a month away (God willing). In fact, it is one week after Shavuos, one […]
Six Degrees Of Kosher Bacon 