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Sarah Chen

As a young mom, the biggest single change I’ve noticed, Jewishly, is that I’ve gone from the happy-go-lucky Receiver of the Experience to the all-encompassing, ever-busy Provider. I used to sit around the Seder as a middle schooler rolling my eyes, sighing, wishing we could move faster. Then as… Read more »

The patio at Bodega Kitchen & Wine

Tucson isn’t the left bank of Paris, but elegant ambiance, lovingly prepared Southwest and ethnic dishes, and spring outdoor dining all contribute to the tasty local restaurant scene. “Spring creativity came to me in a dream last week about drinks,” says Chef Coralie Satta, owner of Ghini’s French Café.… Read more »

In a photo from the late 1940s, Rabbi Osher Levitan (right) supervises production of Passover matzah at the Streit’s matzah factory on Manhattan’s Lower East Side.

For the past year, filmmaker Michael Levine and producer Michael Green have been documenting the story of the last family- owned matzah factory in America, the Streit’s matzah factory on New York’s historic Lower East Side. The result is “Streit’s: Matzo and the American Dream” , a feature length… Read more »

In the Exodus story, Moses decides to rescue his people after he hears God speak to him through the burning bush. But when New York City-based artist Jan Aronson imagined the famous episode in which Moses must decide which path to take in life, she didn’t see a magic… Read more »

More gluten-free products are available at Passover, and an array of blogs offers recipes on how to use them. (Hillel Kuttler)

BALTIMORE (JTA) – Grasping a jar of jam in the Passover aisle of a large supermarket here, Kevin Brinson turned to a stranger and asked, “Do you know when Passover ends this year?” Brinson isn’t dreading the holiday to the extent that two weeks before its start, he’s already… Read more »

Amy Hirshberg Lederman

Ever since I can remember, I have been in a relationship with God. Despite growing up in a family of agnostics, I always believed in, and even felt, the presence of God in my world. My idea of God as a child was that of a Biblical God —… Read more »

The Etablissements Rene Neymann matzah factory is located in the Alsatian city of Wasselonne. (Courtesy of Etablissements Rene Neymann)

(JTA) — For most Jews, matzah season comes once a year. But for Jean-Claude Neymann, matzah, or “pain azyme” in French, is a defining family tradition. Neymann runs the oldest matzah bakery in France, located in the town of Wasselonne near the German border. The family company, Etablissements Rene… Read more »

BOSTON (JTA) — Growing up in Bosnia, Merima Kljuco was familiar with the Sarajevo Haggadah. The medieval, illuminated manuscript was considered a treasure of the Bosnian National Museum for more than a century. Its 600-year journey from Spain through Italy and then Sarajevo, and its survival through persecution and… Read more »

BOSTON (JTA) — Frolicking frogs and magical matzah balls are featured in this season’s crop of new Passover books for children that are sure to engage, inform, entertain and inspire. David A. Adler, author of the hugely popular early reader “Cam Jansen” series, offers “The Story of Passover.” Adler… Read more »

Planning Passover meals is always a wonderful challenge. For the Seders, most of us focus on traditional family recipes because they are tried and proven, and because everyone likes them (and often asks for these favorites dishes). But what about the remaining six days of meals? Once the big… Read more »

If you are looking for a community Passover Seder to attend this year, Tucson’s got you covered. There are first, second, third and seventh night Seders, several chocolate-based festivities and a chance to start the celebrating more than a week before the holiday officially begins. The 18 events below… Read more »

(JTA) — Toss the potato starch and matzah meal — serve delectable desserts this Passover made from chocolate. These desserts, especially if using fair trade or organic chocolate, further awareness of the themes of Passover. They remind us of  the great poverty of many cacao farmers and of the… Read more »

With the film "Her" in mind, columnist Edmon J. Rodman offers his take on what it might be like for a talking computer operating system named Moshe to lead his Seder. (Edmon J. Rodman)

LOS ANGELES (JTA) — At future Passovers, if we consider the Jewish implications of the recent hit movie “Her,” we all could be using a talking computer operating system with artificial intelligence to lead our Seders. But I can’t wait that long. Tired of running my own Seders —… Read more »

 NEW YORK (JTA) — In their small farmhouse bakery in Vermont, Doug Freilich and Julie Sperling work round the clock producing matzah in the period preceding Passover — a matzah that feels ancient and modern at once.  Using a mix of grain they grow on their own farm and… Read more »

Israel is a country that has spent more than six decades weaving the two formerly disparate basic branches of the Jewish family, Sephardim and Ashkenazim, into one people. These days, nary an eyebrow is raised as they hang out, date, and marry in the Jewish state, and most of… Read more »

Nancy Cohen is a registered nurse and life coach.

All of our lives are marked by milestones and passages. For families who are dealing with acute or chronic medical conditions, these transitions can be especially challenging. Whether it’s the onset of Alzheimer’s for a spouse or the changes of adolescence for a child with type 1 diabetes, patients… Read more »

Once a month, a group of about 20 Jewish women meet to talk about their children. That may sound fairly routine, but this gathering has a unique purpose. All of these women have children or grandchildren with special needs. They meet to share information and to support each other.… Read more »

Long-distance options for traveling with pets are limited and flying is sometimes the best alternative. Rather than hours in a car, your pet will spend just a short time on a plane. Here are some questions to help you decide whether to fly with your pet. Is your pet… Read more »

Kate Titus (Lyn Sims)

When it comes to taking care of pets, responsible owners know the importance of vaccinations, annual veterinary appointments, grooming and exercise; however, several local animal care specialists argue that there is much more that can, and should, be done to ensure the health and well-being of animals. Whether your… Read more »