Passover

Menorah of spears and the deeper meaning of Hanukkah- opinion

The Maccabees may have lit Hanukkah’s first menorah using spears left by fleeing soldiers, transforming instruments of harm into a beacon of faith.

Maccabee cartoon 521
Or Yesha Meusharim from Machzor Worms (13th c.)

National Library unveils rare 14th century Mishneh Torah manuscript

"The First Thanksgiving, 1621," by Jean Leon Gerome Ferris (1863–1930)

Thanksgiving needs its own Haggadah - opinion

JTA illustration of matzah

Is dining-hall matzah ‘DEI’? The answer isn’t clear to UVA’s pushed-out ex-president


Passover pastimes: Culture, the arts, and fun abound across the country over the holiday period

Passover, the traditional spring holiday, beckons with its spread of cultural and leisure time events up and down the country for all ages.

 ‘THE HEART-SHAPED Leaf’ by Shira Geffen at the Safe Place Festival.

True freedom this Passover means bringing the hostages home - opinion

This year, once again, the holiday of freedom becomes a moral, national, and human test. Spending the holiday in darkness, deep in Hamas tunnels, are our abducted heroes of October 7.

 MOTHERS ATTEND a protest calling for the release of the hostages held in Gaza, at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv.

How to sell your furniture quickly during Passover – without the headache

Passover is not only a time for cleaning and refreshing your home – it’s also a great opportunity to earn a bit of money from furniture you no longer use. Here’s how to do it right.

 There’s a way to get rid of the furniture – just follow the rules

The promotions and new items for the home

Holiday deals for Passover: discounts on home goods, gifts, furniture, appliances, cookware, fashion, and exclusive holiday packages from major Israeli brands and retailers nationwide.

 Ofer Malls are launching a special Passover promotion offering hundreds of holiday gifts for just NIS 25

Pennsylvania charges man attempting attack on Jewish gov. with terrorism, arson, attempted murder

The alleged assailant's charges will include terrorism, attempted murder, and arson.

 PENNSYLVANIA GOV. Josh Shapiro takes the stage at an election rally for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, in Philadelphia, last week. Shapiro can show that he isn’t backing down from his lifelong mission of helping Jews and others in need, says the writer.

Israel's real enemy may be its internal divisions, not the terror threats - opinion

Israel was never meant to be a place of sameness. It was always a gathering of exiles, ideas, and arguments. That diversity is not our weakness – it is our strength. But only if we stay at the table.

 Israelis protest against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyhu outside the District court in Tel Aviv, where Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is testifying in the trial against him, April 9, 2025.

The tragedy of the firstborn: Inherent legal, societal burdens of the eldest child - explainer

The tragedy for the firstborn is that he is left with the anomalous status that puts on him sometimes vast societal and psychological expectations, but has equal legal status with the rest.

 ‘The Tenth Plague: Killing the Firstborn Son,’ from a collection by Joseph Mallord and William Turner.

Passover is here, and with it the cleaning: 9 makeup removers to purify your face

We’ve gathered 9 makeup removers for a total purification and reboot of the facial skin. Because if it’s already Passover—then all the way, right?

 Are you ready for Passover?

Counting the Omer: A journey from Passover to Shavuot

The pilgrimage festival of Shavuot at the conclusion of the Omer period was in thanksgiving for God’s blessing and protection of the land and its produce.

HARVESTING WHEAT in a field near Rehovot.

Power of faith: The hostages held onto hope while experiencing the worst of humanity - opinion

Alongside the social and political crises, we face the heartbreak of knowing that we will be sitting down to the Seder, yet again, while 59 hostages remain in captivity.

 THE WRITER addresses a Jewish community event in Amsterdam last December. We must remember that our decisions in the here and now – how we speak, how we treat others, how we relate to our society – will impact our future and how our nation, our people, and our world will look in the years ahead, he