Judy and I just received our lovely and tasty Apples and Honey bag from Congregation Am HaYam. As I work at getting the Reeses Pieces before the grandkids get them, I truly want to say a big תודה רבה-Thanks very much!! To everyone who put the bags together and...
This tends to be a favorite time of year for me in many regards. We get the last heat-waves of the summer, as I write this today, it’s a balmy 108 degrees in the far west San Fernando Valley. But even as the heat beats down, August is winding...
We’ve just passed the holiday of חג האביב-The Spring holiday, commonly called Passover or פסח. We observe at Passover the exodus of the Jewish people from Egypt. But we also note that group leaving Egypt was a very long way from being unified, from feeling peoplehood, let alone nationhood. At...
By the time this edition of the Migdalor is released, we will be just about to enter the space for the חג האביב-The Spring Holiday, of Passover. The planning and cleaning and cooking should all be done. We are prepared to welcome the holiday, welcome our guests and even the...
As we learned on Groundhog Day, our friend Punxsutawney Phil (the world famous weather predicting Groundhog), winter will continue for another 6 weeks. But in our Jewish world, we endure the cold, wind and rain and we have entered the month of Adar. Our expression from the Talmud, tractate Taanit...
Heading into December, our thoughts turn to many things, Christmas holiday music from every speaker in the mall and on TV, thoughts of the New Year before us and for the Jewish community, we think of the Festival of Lights or Chanukah. I want to share a few thoughts about...
While taking a moment to catch my breath after the end of the Jewish holiday season, I pondered what to write about in my article for the Migdalor. Like any reasonable man, I considered my options and possibilities and did what any man on wife #2 would do. I asked...
My friends, I’m writing my article today on the Thursday after celebrating Rosh Hashanah with our Congregation Am Hayam community. As I catch my breath and look forward to observing Yom Kippur, a few thoughts run through my mind and a few things I’d like to share. Clearly Rosh Hashanah...
I look out the kitchen door and our Pomegranate tree is proudly displaying its fruit and daring the squirrels and opossums to try to take more. In the kitchen, I have no idea how many gallons of chicken soup are prepared. The apples are gathered and I estimate at least...
Every year around this time things start to look a bit different. The days get longer, the sun gets a bit stronger and everywhere you go you can experience the sights, sounds, and smells of spring. Spring is a time of rebirth. This year we had one of the coldest...
