After a difficult year of war, loss and displacement, it was truly hard to imagine how we were going to be able to celebrate our holidays. But the Jewish people are nothing if not resilient. Perhaps we celebrated despite it all. But we weren't going...
Shavei Israel communities from different parts of the world shared photos with us of them at services and in mourning for the destruction of the Temples and remembering other tragedies in Jewish history that happened on Tisha B’Av, the annual fast day on the 9th...
Lag Ba’omer is a minor holiday that occurs on the 33rd day of the Omer, the 49-day period between Passover and Shavuot. A break from the semi-mourning of the Omer, key aspects of Lag Ba’omer include holding Jewish weddings (it’s the one day during the...
Dear Friends: This time of year is emotionally stretched. Pulled. Other years I would have said emotionally rich. Pesach, then Yom Hashoah for the Holocaust, then Yom Hazikaron for the fallen, then Yom Haatsmaut, Independence Day. Enjoyment, searing pain, pain with pride and joyful pride. That...
Our conversion students in Machon Milton went on a moving and emotional trip to Yad Vashem: World Holocaust Center, Jerusalem in the days leading up to Yom Hashoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day. Rabbi Reuven Tradburks, director of Machon Milton, brought the group and arranged for a wonderful...
Like in previous years, this Passover our communities all over the world enjoyed the holiday, though perhaps more subdued than usual with the very real situation of war in Israel and 133 hostages remaining in captivity in Gaza. Extra prayers were said and empty seats set...
Practice makes perfect! Rabbi Reuven Tradburks, director of Machon Milton, our English-speaking Jewish conversion program in partnership with the Rabbinical Council of America, ran a mock-Seder this past week for the Machon Milton students. [video width="480" height="848" mp4="https://www.shavei.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WhatsApp-Video-2024-04-18-at-11.57.05_6450d5f5.mp4"][/video] The event was fun, and participants reported the added confidence...
On April 22nd, Jews around the world will celebrate Passover, commemorating the Exodus from Egypt and the deliverance of our ancestors from slavery to freedom. In this difficult year of war and displacement, it won't be as easy for many to wholeheartedly celebrate. Some, including 80...
The Jewish holiday of Tu B’Shevat is literally the 'New Year for the Trees’. Falling out on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Shevat, it is a holiday of tree planting, fruit eating, special ‘seders’ for the holiday and other celebrations of nature...
The Jewish people are going through an extremely difficult time now. But there are some special moments that bring some necessary light to our lives and the last night of Chanukah we had a huge simcha (joy) when our dear Moshe Samuel got married to...
