Yiddish is becoming a lost language, so any effort to preserve the dialect of our ancestors is worthy of attention. Actually, Yiddish is older than English, originating in Spain in the thirteenth century and then becoming a more commonplace lingo after the fifteenth century when Jews migrated to Eastern Europe, Poland, Galicia, Hungary, Rumania, and Russia. Yiddish comes from the German word “Judisch,” meaning “Jewish.” In the Yiddish language itself Yiddish means “Jewish.” (more…)

To get you in the mood for Thanksgiving, here’s a bit of trivia:
Question: Where did the pilgrims first land?
Answer: Plymouth Rock, which is now Massachusetts.
Question: Who was the first tribe to entertain lavishly—the Wampanoag Indians or the Jewish people?
Answer: The Jews. (That’s a no-brainer).
Question: Did the English settlers and Native Americans eat turkey at the first thanksgiving meal?
Answer: Probably not. Historical documents indicate that they gobbled up venison and wildfowl, but no pumpkin pie with whipped topping.
Question: Which president proclaimed the first national Thanksgiving Day?
Answer: George Washington. (This is a trick question). (more…)

Every once in awhile I devour a book in a day, not counting the times I crammed for a college exam. A good story allows me to escape into another world as each page unfolds with curious characters, twisting plots, and complex human emotions that stay with me long after I read the acknowledgements. Then again, I sobbed uncontrollably throughout the memoir about a dog named Marley. (more…)

A child is a gift from God. Ask any mother who adopts a child and she will tell you so. They may not share the same skin color, race, or blood, and they may come from opposite sides of the world, but they are bashert, a Hebrew word that means two people who are meant to be together. Even when they speak different languages, love is universal. A mother’s love for her baby grows in her heart like a womb, and they give each other life. (more…)