by Shekhiynah Larks | Dec 19, 2019 | Holidays, Identity
I am sure people wonder how you can be Greek and Jewish, especially around Hanukkah, a time when we’re taught that the Maccabees proudly rose up against the pagan Greeks and regained Jewish independence. But it has never been a problem for me. I’m a proud Sephardic...
by Webmaster | Dec 9, 2019 | Holidays, Identity
When I was growing up in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, all of my relatives and friends lived close together, and a lot of community events happened outdoors. We Bukharian Jews would close off the streets and a few houses would be in charge of organizing a party, like a block...
by Shekhiynah Larks | Nov 6, 2019 | Holidays, Identity
This week the Ethiopian Jewish community will begin its celebration of Sigd, an ancient holiday which is formally observed 50 days after Yom Kippur. Since 2008, Sigd has been recognized in Israel as a national holiday. Ethiopian Israelis today use the holiday to...
by Shekhiynah Larks | Oct 10, 2019 | Holidays, Identity
During Sukkot we open our temporary homes symbolically and recall our ancestors: Abraham, who left his home for the land God promised to show him; Isaac, who struggled to find his own way; Jacob, who fled from his brother; Joseph, who was enslaved and taken to Egypt...
by Shekhiynah Larks | Oct 7, 2019 | Holidays, Identity
Sukkot is a holiday of joy and welcome. The custom of inviting spiritual ushpizin, which means “guests” in Aramaic, into the sukkah is a way of extending that welcome and joy to those who cannot physically be with us but whose spirit and values represent that which we...
by Shekhiynah Larks | Sep 25, 2019 | Holidays, Identity, Recipes
Anyone who knows me will tell you that I have a passion for food and feeding people. This passion comes from my Ashkenazi Israeli mother and my Japanese Canadian father, both of whom are fabulous cooks. Mom always had a snack ready when I came home from school. As...
