Her Yuletide celebration was nearly turning into more of a fiasco than Jill had feared; the acrimony between the Johnson and Cohen families weighed down over the room like a wet blanket. Still, she kept on smiling and chatting, determined to carry on, until she overheard a snide remark about her grandmother's silver Chanukah menorah.… Continue reading A snide remark
Look at how a single candle can both defy and define the darkness. -Anne Frank (1929 – 1945) For Chanukah this year, I'd like to share a thought or two about candles. Every night of Chanukah, for eight nights, Jewish people light candles on their Chanukah menorahs, using the flame from one of the candles.… Continue reading Defy and define the darkness
A 'Candlelight' poem Today we live free of harsh Greek decrees. Jews commemorate; lights emanate from our windows. Our kiddos play games, sing songs, and watch the twirl of those small bright flames, while licking greasy fingers. Candlelight poetic form? 17 lines; Syllabic: 5-5-5-4-4-3-2-2-2-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-7; Rhymed: a-a-b-b-c-c-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x; Centered on the page. d'Verse poetics prompt At d'Verse,… Continue reading Souls on fire, or: Lights emanate
A Cleave poem in the form of two Shadormas Chanukah festivalwith bright atmosphere permeating through ~filling our Jewish homes;children’s hearts; familieshas left glowing memories held together by warm lovelasting forever across gen’rations How to read a cleave poem? Simply: Read the left hand poem as a first discrete poem.Read the right hand poem as a… Continue reading Warm love, or: Glowing memories
Some years, my early December birthday overlaps with Chanukah (don't worry about the English spelling - there's no right or wrong); and this is just such a year. My daughter immediately makes the connection, as soon as I mention the fact. "Abba'chka, can we have sufganiyot to celebrate your birthday this year? Hooray, hooray, hooray,… Continue reading Sufganiyot, or: Donuts
‘Beginning at the End’ – a d’Verse poetics prompt Epigraph: As if we could hear music inside the words.- Gail Newman The intervals between our letters are dependably constant. Our friendship forged for the ages. Our affection warm and lasting. Our love spanning vast oceans and generations. I write to you about the New York… Continue reading Sight, or: Sound
Chanukah ended, and though I haven't written a word about it yet, I have been mulling something over quite a bit. Traditionally, there's a song that Jews sing after reciting the blessings and lighting the candles of the chanukiah 🕎. This song is called Ma'oz Tzur ("Strong Rock"), and there exists a popular, non-literal English… Continue reading Holiday thoughts: Jewish v. Not
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlBCRg-6K_s Thanks to Animalizard for introducing me to this lovely Chanukah art
The Skeptic's Kaddish 🇮🇱 
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