Jewish Blogs

Prayer in Sports – Part 2

Last week I blogged about the role of public prayer in sports. What prompted me to blog about the subject was a Detroit Free Press article in which I was quoted that dealt with the trend of major league baseball players praying and performing various religious-related activities on the sports field like drawing crosses in the dirt and blowing kisses to heaven ...

Prayer as a Weapon

When Yaakov Avinu blessed his children, he said, “I took Shechem b’charbi u’vekashti,” with my sword and arrow. Targum Unkelos translates b’charbi u’vekashti as “b’tzeluti uvuati, meaning with my prayers and requests. Prayer is a powerful weaponIn Tehilim, King David, one of the greatest formulators of Jewish prayer, uses the term zemirot, from the root word zemer, a song. Zemer can also mean to cut with a sword ...

Prayer as a Privilege

Although we often say that prayer is a weapon, we tend to forget that it is also a privilege. When we begin the shemonei esrei we ask, “Hashem sefatai tiftach.” Hashem open my mouth to speak with you. Rav Soloveitchik would say many times that a person needs a license to pray. You have to go through a certain regimen and routine before beginning ...

Practical Judaism II: Mizmor L’Todah part 2

Does one recite Hagomel after a flight? Some authorities rule not to say the bracha, because flights have become routine. Others say that if one flies over an ocean or desert then one should recite it. Rav Moshe Feinstein held that one says Hagomel after every flight because it is an act of overcoming nature. Other poskim disagree. When there’s a questionable situation, one should receive ...

Practical Aspects of Yichud

What is the most important ingredient in life? What virtues define man?Philosophers throughout the generation have debated this question and have come up with several theories. Early Greeks put emphasis on knowledge as the key to human success in behavior and morality. The stoics believed in self-discipline and will power. The school of Epicureans taught that contentment and banishment of ...

Possibilities for Passover

Yes, a Passover seder is the Jewish custom most observed by Jews. On the other hand, when surveyors asked that question they didn’t ask about the seder itself. For some people, it’s enough to get some Jews together and eat dinner. For others, add some Manishewitz and they’re Passover good to go. Here are some interesting alternatives enjoy.Tablet has some ...

Pop! Goes the Parody

Look, I’m no intellectual giant. I have to check every “virus alert” on Snopes.com. I follow shiny things into sewers. I bob my head to the terrible pop music I’m subjected to while driving Hebrew school carpool.And as you know, I think most Jewish holiday parodies are hilarious.Chanukah’s coming ‘round the calendar again, and we never stopped singing the Maccabeats’ “Candlelight” from ...

Poor people deserve respect too

I was checking out the scene on Pico Boulevard on Saturday night in Los Angeles and I got to talking with this poor Jewish fellow standing out in front of Nagilla Pizza asking for money to pay his medical bills. He seemed like a reasonable enough guy so I gave him $10 and had a nice little chat with him ...

Pom Pom Yarn For Last Minute Decorating

Pom pom yarn is fantastic for crafting! I can’t say that I would have thought to buy some, but saw a skein for 1 Euro at a discount store in Amsterdam and so I snatched it up. Yup, the last skein waiting for me, which seems to have been a theme of my trip, given my zpagetti story here. After ...

Polymer Clay Pencil Toppers Craft For Kids

Polymer clay crafts are lots of fun, and once baked polymer clay is quite sturdy and can be used to make so many things. Aren’t these sheep pencil toppers just the cutest? The one on the right is listening to his MP4! Those headphone cords are a bit fragile, but kuddos to my 9 year old daughter for coming up ...

Polymer Clay Miniature Food Craft For Kids

Polymer clay is a great thing to have on hand when the kids are in need of a fun project. And if you happen to have kids, like my daughter, who enjoy making teeny tiny things, well you’re in luck because a little polymer clay will go a long way!Once baked, items made from polymer clay can become magnets, pins, ...

Political Jewess: Oldies but Goodies

We are at T minus four days to the election, and one of our favorite past times at JWA is looking to the past to inform the future…So on that note, I ask:Where were we four years ago? One year ago? Fifty one years ago?We hope you’ll enjoy these links- some oldies, definitely goodies, as we rev up to November ...