Challah Project

Note: I chose a cookbook winner, but want to hear back from her before I announce it. Thanks to everyone who entered. Nechama Gittel Chaya bat Chana (as she likes people to refer to her), or Norma Kuras, is an 82-year-old breast cancer survivor. When the doctors found a malignant tumor in her … [Read more...]

Prayers and Assistance for RivkA of Coffee and Chemo

RivkA, who blogs over at Coffee and Chemo, has been in the hospital for most of the week. Her situation is poor.  Jameel has put up new messages from her and her family about ways to contact them and help. As RivkA writes at the end of every post: Please daven (or send happy, healing thoughts) … [Read more...]

The Parent’s Prayer

This prayer of the SheLa"h is supposed to be said by parents before Rosh Chodesh Sivan (new month of Sivan) this Sunday.  Yesterday and today were the days to say it, as prayers making specific requests are usually not said on Shabbat. If you know of another translation, please send it along. In … [Read more...]

Rabbi Ovadia’s Surprising Ruling: Women Can Read Megillah for Men

The secular newspapers like to report on the weekly talks of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, the leading rabbinic arbiter of the Sephardi/Mizrachi community in Israel. Occasionally he says outrageous things, but this time he made a ruling likely to please a more liberal readership. On the upcoming holiday of … [Read more...]

Guest Post: Jewish Girls and Prayer

See below for background information and glossary. Commenter Abbi sent me her response to a discussion about prayer for girls in a mixed school. Should girls pray in the minyan alongside the boys, or as a separate group? What should be our goals for educating girls about tefilla and minyan, … [Read more...]