Though Pesach fills many with dread, I eagerly anticipate it each year. The special family time, the spring time focus of the holiday, and the careful care and attention we pay to our homes are all things I enjoy and deeply connect with. One of the most special parts of the holiday for me has always been Mimouna, a Moroccan tradition which celebrates the end of Pesach, the return to eating cham...

Weeks before purim I start planning my Mishloah Manot. I like to take the time and put thought into it and give family and friends a mishloah manot that is elegant yet simple to make, useful and healthy too. In Jerusalem, we celebrate Purim on Shushan Purim which this year falls on Friday. So I'm planning to make a Mishloach Manot in the spirit of Shabbat. Here are a few of the ideas I ha...

As Pessach approaches , we start to prepare our homes for the upcoming holyday. At this time of year I like to start early and take this time to de-clutter and organize. I find myself motivated by the Jewish Positive Thinking Workshop I completed many months ago. Chaya Hinda Allen offers this workshop and it has had an amazingly positive influence on my life. During Chaya Hinda's workshop,...

Chanukah in Israel is an exciting time of year as we join together to celebrate the miracle of the Holiday. As we light the Chanukiyah, we gaze at the sparkling lights and reflect upon the Chanukah story. We rejoice and give thanks for the miracles that we were blessed with so many years ago and also celebrate the joy of the miracles we experience on a daily basis. As we watch the burning oil...

Although baking challah was always something I wanted to do, I can count on just one hand the number of times I attempted the feat over the past 20 years. I like to cook and be creative in the kitchen but challah baking just wasn't working for me. There were too many steps, it was too messy and the recipes didn't have anyone coming back for seconds. After learning about the spiritual a...