The taste of matzah was still fresh on our lips as we began the  study of Acharei Mot this year. This gastronomic phenomenon was particularly pronounced for those who read Acharei Mot last Shabbat because they observe seven days of Passover, including...

The Torah portion for this week is Pesach (final day), which leads to the inevitable question: Just when is the final day of Pesach?  The Torah is clear: Pesach begins on the 15th day of Nisan and lasts seven days. Which sounds cut and dried, but only...

I love seder. I look forward to it all year. The heaping platters of rice, some colored and flavored with the beautiful essence of saffron, with sautéed julienne carrots and kidney beans mixed in, others with raisins and cinnamon. Helping prepare, I...

If you could envision the place you wanted to be in your life, what would that look like? Who would be around you? What would a day in that version of your life look like? What sort of person would you be?For most of us, having dreams and goals allows...

This story was originally published on April 18, 2019. Steven Gold says horseradish got its name because it’s the “galloping root. It used to grow wild.” Other sources provide different origin stories, but regardless, the vegetable, now grown...

(JTA) — There are several do’s and don’ts when it comes to the Passover seder: what we may or may not eat, and the story we are obliged to tell. Within these guidelines, how do 21st-century American Jews manage to keep Passover engaging and alive?Some...

Almost 3,000 years ago, the Jewish people were freed from slavery in Egypt. Since then, Jews across the world have celebrated Passover to remember the historic event. Passover begins on the 15th night of Nisan — this year at sundown Friday, April 19...

On Shabbat Hagadol, which immediately precedes Passover, we read from the Haftarah of Malachi in which God promises to send Elijah the prophet before the coming of the “great (gadol), awesome day of the Lord” (Malachi 3:23). On the night of the Passover...

Without question, the night of the Passover seder is among the most powerful experiences of the entire year. We daven, sing, eat, discuss, debate and methodically make our way through the Haggadah and a long night filled with rituals, customs and practices...

We have been hosting first-night seder on Pesach for more years than I can even recall. Sometimes we have a crowd around our limited-seating dining room table, and other years have been more intimate. However, it never fails that something will always...

Pull up a chair. I have a story to tell. I was traveling around Mount Ararat near the Armenian border on my way to Kurdistan just after the Turks released their grip on the ancient land. You will recognize Mount Ararat from the biblical account of Noah,...