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Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Sivan 5, 5773
2:44 am IDT
Site updated 4 minutes ago

The Times of Israel

The one-stop news site
covering Israel, the region and
the Jewish people worldwide

Founding editor:
David Horovitz

Fair, fresh and fast

The Jewish world's
fastest-growing
news site

Writer: Edmon J. Rodman

May 13, 2013
9:36 pm

For beginners seeking their place in the Torah scroll, a tikkun, or guidebook, provides an excellent navigational tool. (photo credit: Edmon J. Rodman/JTA)

Torah navigation leads to new journeys

For the uninitiated, finding the right place in the the perfect columns of scribed, unvoweled Hebrew can seem daunting. Is there an app for that?

By Edmon J. Rodman

April 28, 2013
8:40 am

A display of home-brewed beers. Thinking of the bonfires of Lag b'Omer, a Jewish home brewer suggests a smoked porter. (photo credit: Edmon J. Rodman/JTA)

Brewing up a new connection to Lag B’Omer

In the United States, seeing a barley and beer link, the college-age demographic and beyond has found other ways to stoke up enthusiasm for this minor holiday

By Edmon J. Rodman

April 9, 2013
4:01 am

Holocaust survivor Pinchas Gutter as appearing on the hologram-like interactive presentation developed by the USC Shoah Foundation. (photo credit: USC Institute for Creative Technology)

Adding a new dimension to Holocaust testimony

New technology affords future generations the privilege of personal interactive conversations with survivors

By Edmon J. Rodman

January 25, 2013
4:47 pm

In "The Hobbit," Bilbo Baggins discovers trouble brewing in the forests of Middle-earth. (Courtesy of Warner Bros. via JTA)

Some Tu Bish thoughts, inspired by ‘The Hobbit’

The environmentally minded holiday has more in common with the Hollywood epic than you might think

By Edmon J. Rodman

December 19, 2012
10:29 am

(illustrative image credit: Andris Torms / Shutterstock)

If the world ends on Friday – what about my challah?

People, this Mayan end game is going to mess with Shabbat!

By Edmon J. Rodman

November 21, 2012
3:04 pm

Much of what makes the traditional Passover seder special can be adapted for Thanksgiving. (Edmon J. Rodman/JTA)

How to host a successful Thanksgiving ‘seder’

The Pilgrims found inspiration in the ancient Israelites, and American Jews can do the same

By Edmon J. Rodman

October 29, 2012
8:41 am

Charlotte Smith and Rabbi Jerry Levy dedicate the family Torah scroll rescued by her great-great-grandfather. (Julie Ann Kodmur via JTA)

Rescued from Kristallnacht, a family Torah reaches a new generation

Hidden during the Holocaust but lost after the war, the scrolls would eventually be read at the bat mitzva of their savior’s granddaughter

By Edmon J. Rodman

September 25, 2012
4:50 am

A statue of Al Jolson at the entertainer's grave in Los Angeles provides a source of inspiration for a lay service leader as Yom Kippur nears. (Edmon J. Rodman/JTA)

Finding the right voice for Kol Nidre

With Yom Kippur approaching, a Jewish leader seeks advice on how to capture the holiday’s spirit — including from Hollywood’s most famous cantor’s son

By Edmon J. Rodman

September 19, 2012
8:34 pm

Dancing the tahara. Andrea Hodos holds up three fingers for the Hebrew letter Shin, representing the name of God. (photo credit: Edmon J. Rodman/JTA)

The choreography of death

Andrea Hodos uses dance to explain and interpret the seldom-discussed ritual preparation of a Jewish body for burial

By Edmon J. Rodman

July 29, 2012
7:49 am

A crypto-Jewish secret wedding by Anita Rodriguez. (photo credit: Anita Rodriguez/JTA)

For Crypto-Jews of New Mexico, art is a window into secret life

A recent genetic survey in the Journal of Human Genetics revealed new DNA evidence that Spanish Americans of the Southwest likely had Jews in their family trees

By Edmon J. Rodman

July 12, 2012
5:53 am

This 1924 photo of a floating game of mah jongg is part of the 'Project Mah Jongg' exhibit now showing at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles. (photo credit: Courtesy Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division/JTA)

Mah jongg’s mavens

The Chinese may have invented the game, but 1920s Jewish women perfected it. An interactive exhibit at LA’s Skirball Cultural Center explores mah jongg’s place in Jewish pop culture

By Edmon J. Rodman

June 1, 2012
5:04 am

Window Rock in Arizona, home of the Navajo Nation Museum (photo credit: Edmon J. Rodman)

Two tribes grapple with the sacredness of land

Jewish and Navajo spiritual leaders discuss physical, emotional and divine connections

By Edmon J. Rodman

May 7, 2012
3:31 am

Partners Matthew Koven, left, and Roger Ramkissoon stand next to the their new LA deli truck.(Edmon J. Rodman/JTA)

With a side of wry, a ‘schmucky’ deli truck in LA

This rolling restaurant for deli aficionados features the very unkosher Oy vey wrap

By Edmon J. Rodman

The Times of Israel

The one-stop news site
covering Israel, the region and
the Jewish people worldwide

Founding editor:
David Horovitz

Fair, fresh and fast

The Jewish world's
fastest-growing
news site

Writer: Edmon J. Rodman

Torah navigation leads to new journeys

For the uninitiated, finding the right place in the the perfect columns of scribed, unvoweled Hebrew can seem daunting. Is there an app for that?

Brewing up a new connection to Lag B’Omer

In the United States, seeing a barley and beer link, the college-age demographic and beyond has found other ways to stoke up enthusiasm for this minor holiday

Adding a new dimension to Holocaust testimony

New technology affords future generations the privilege of personal interactive conversations with survivors

Some Tu Bish thoughts, inspired by ‘The Hobbit’

The environmentally minded holiday has more in common with the Hollywood epic than you might think

If the world ends on Friday – what about my challah?

People, this Mayan end game is going to mess with Shabbat!

How to host a successful Thanksgiving ‘seder’

The Pilgrims found inspiration in the ancient Israelites, and American Jews can do the same

Rescued from Kristallnacht, a family Torah reaches a new generation

Hidden during the Holocaust but lost after the war, the scrolls would eventually be read at the bat mitzva of their savior’s granddaughter

Finding the right voice for Kol Nidre

With Yom Kippur approaching, a Jewish leader seeks advice on how to capture the holiday’s spirit — including from Hollywood’s most famous cantor’s son

The choreography of death

Andrea Hodos uses dance to explain and interpret the seldom-discussed ritual preparation of a Jewish body for burial

For Crypto-Jews of New Mexico, art is a window into secret life

A recent genetic survey in the Journal of Human Genetics revealed new DNA evidence that Spanish Americans of the Southwest likely had Jews in their family trees

Mah jongg’s mavens

The Chinese may have invented the game, but 1920s Jewish women perfected it. An interactive exhibit at LA’s Skirball Cultural Center explores mah jongg’s place in Jewish pop culture

Two tribes grapple with the sacredness of land

Jewish and Navajo spiritual leaders discuss physical, emotional and divine connections

With a side of wry, a ‘schmucky’ deli truck in LA

This rolling restaurant for deli aficionados features the very unkosher Oy vey wrap

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