Jewish Gifts and Knowledge

It’s been a long time since we celebrated a Passover Seder at my parent’s

home. My mother had changed the dishes, cleaned the refrigerator & stove,

used a feather and candle to be sure all of the chumetz were removed, and

we switched to “Kosher for Pesach” foods.

As our relatives and guests entered our home, they kissed the mezuzah,

which was on the doorpost of our house. We also had personalized

mezuzahs by our bedroom doors.

Our guests brought us beautiful Jewish gifts. We received candlesticks, matza

plates, Kiddish glasses, cute aprons, platters with Passover pictures

painted on them and many other Jewish gifts.

Each person was asked to recite a part of the Passover story from the

our beautifully illustrated Hagodahs, which were written in both English and Hebrew.

There were separate Hagodahs with easy-to-read text for the younger children.

Each year a different child asked the four questions as our family

continued to increase in number. As the child finished, his or her

parents would kvell with pride at the recitation.

After a couple of hours of prayers, we began to pass around the foods on

the beautiful Seder plate: haroses, matzoth, gefilte fish etc. We would open the door

for Elijah to be welcomed to the dinner. For the children, it was

exciting to think someone might mysteriously enter the house and join us.

Then the dinner began…from chicken soup with matzah balls to brisket to

potatoes. We also had mandrel brot, chocolate cake, sponge cake, and

cookies for dessert.

After dinner, with stomachs full and eyes getting droopy, we sang

songs… with some of the men pounding the table to the beat of the song.

Some of us had practiced the songs from recordings. The children went

to play with their Jewish holiday gifts as they waited for the dishes to be

cleared. Later, everyone kissed one another goodbye.

As a child, the Seder seemed to go on forever. Now, as an adult and with

my parents deceased, it is one of my favorite memories…those of my

father leading the prayers and my family participating in a very

ritualistic experience. During the Seder, we told the story of the

Egyptians and the Jews. It was a story of our history and made us proud for being Jewish. It also gave my extended family a

perfect time to spend a warm and friendly evening together.

by Susie Klein

No Comments | In: jewish gifts | tags: jewish gifts, Passover, seder plate, Susie Klein. | #

If you are invited to a special occasion and you are searching for Jewish gifts to offer up, then you have a lot of options to consider. Before you bring a Kosher gift, however, you may want to learn more about what Kosher exactly means.

In the last post, I explained what the basic laws of Kashrut are, different reasons for following them and why they are important. I also explained that the laws of Kashrut call for three separate categories: meat, dairy and pareve (neutral). In this post, for those who want a better explanation of what a Kosher gift is, I will dive down deeper into these essential categories.

What is Kosher meat?

There are different tiers of Kosher meat and it starts off with a Kosher animal. The book of Leviticus says, “Whatsoever parted the hoof, and is clovenfooted, and cheweth the cud… that ye eat.”

This line is outlining the animals that Jewish people are allowed to eat. In simple English, any animal that has a split hoof and chews its food twice after sent up from its first stomach. The animals must have both of these qualities to be considered Kosher. The following are examples of Kosher animals:

• Cow
• Sheep
• Deer
• Goat

The following animals are NOT Kosher:

• Pig
• Rabbit
• Squirrel
• Horse
• Camel
• Bear

The quality of the animal and, thus, the meat you eat is of very high standard in the Jewish religion. For that reason, no animals of scavenger or predatory status are allowed. Furthermore, insects, worms, reptiles nor amphibians are deemed Kosher.

How to slaughter Kosher animals?

In order to remain Kosher, animals must be properly slaughtered. The general idea is to slaughter the animals in the most humane manner possible. That means the animal is under no fear and no stress.

A blade, which must be sharpened to a certain degree to ensure a swift and clean cut, is used to execute the animal. The blade must hit a specific artery in the throat of the animal to ensure a quick death that is as painless as possible. During this episode, a rabbi must be present to witness the event and ensure that the animal was slaughtered accordingly.

How to prepare the Kosher animal?

It is forbidden to consume blood in any manner. Therefore, specific steps must be taken to prepare an animal after slaughter. Immediately after the killing, the animal must be drained of the blood and soaked in salt water to ensure the evaporation of any remaining blood. In fact, those keeping Kosher must check all eggs for drops of blood and dispose of any eggs that contain blood.

There are certain parts of the animal that one is not allowed to consume. For example, any meat around the hide region is not allowed. Finally, in order for the meat to remain Kosher, it must continue to be prepared in a fully Kosher kitchen using only pots, dishes and utensils that are meant only for the meat products.

No Comments | In: Kosher gift | tags: jewish gifts, Kosher, Kosher animals, Kosher gift, Kosher meat, laws of Kashrut. | #

There are always the classic gifts to consider when you are invited to a Jewish wedding ceremony. If the couple is religious, it is sometimes risky to stray too far from the ordinary. So, if you receive an invitation to attend a Jewish wedding, consider these Jewish wedding gifts to give:

• Candle stick holders: in a religious home, these will be used every Friday and Saturday, so a good pair is essential. However, you can make the Sabbath extra special for the soon-to-be wedded couple if you find a pair of candle stick holders that have extra flare, elegance or design. Ones covered in sparkles or gems may be beautiful, or others that feature a colorful pattern. You can also go very simply and elegance with sterling silver holders that stand tall and stylish. Traditionally, the mizvot of lighting the candles on the Sabbath is the mother’s responsibility, so it is just fine if the candle stick holders you find have a bit of a girly design.
• Mezuzah: every Jewish home must have a mezuzah on their front door post, if not on every door in the house. You can find unique mezuzahs with fun prints and designs on them, or elegance ones with abstract designs that can sometimes take up six to 10 inches on one’s wall! Find one that can be engraved with the couple’s wedding date and names or find a simple one that speaks of elegance and happy occasions. The couple can never have too many of these, since religious couples need one for every room in the house.
• Menorah: the eight- tiered candle holder for Hanukah is a popular gift because everyone celebrates this holiday and everyone needs a menorah in order to do so. The styles of menorahs that are available today are endless: fun cartoons, stylish sterling silver casings, tv themed menorahs, classic looking menorahs, artsy abstract menorahs and even personalized menorahs. Choose one that reminds you of the soon to be wedded couple so they can use it during that special time of year and keep it on display in home year round.

Shopping for Jewish gifts is not a difficult task, but finding the right piece that is truly unique may require a bit more time than usual. Just be sure to scout out all your options before making your choice. In the end, so long as you have put genuine thought into the mission, the lucky couple will be extremely grateful no matter what!

No Comments | In: Jewish Wedding Gifts | tags: jewish gifts, Jewish wedding ceremony, Jewish Wedding Gifts. | #

When someone close to you moves into a new residence, one of the best Jewish gifts you can give is a mezuzah, which means doorpost in Hebrew. The mezuzah is a piece of parchment that is contained in a decorative case. The mezuzah is also inscribed with certain Hebrew verses from the Torah.

The mezuzah is one of the most important Jewish gifts that have religious significance for a newly married couple. Some people interpret Jewish law to require a mezuzah on every doorway in the home.

However, a mezuzah should not be put on doorways of bathrooms or closets that are too small to be considered an actual ‘room’.  Many Jewish people place a mezuzah only on the doorpost of the front door entrance to their home.

To ensure that the mezuzah is Kosher, the parchment should be prepared by a qualified scribe who checks the mezuzot parchments for defects. This is a very meticulous process and every detail of the parchment paper is examined. As a result, genuinely Kosher parchment paper is often sold for around $150 or more.

Let’s say you give your son or daughter a mezuzah, but what if they don’t know how to properly affix a mezuzah?

Here are the instructions according to Halakha (Jewish rules) on how to properly affix a mezuzah to your doorpost:

• The mezuzah should be placed on the right side of the door.

• Place the mezuzah in the upper third of the doorpost.

•  Jewish law requires that all mezuzot be attached within 30 days of moving into an abode outside of the state of Israel.

•  For a residence in Israel , the mezuzah is attached immediately upon moving in.

• Any Jewish person can recite the blessing if that person can understand the importance of the blessing. That means men, women and children are fair game.

• When attaching several mezuzot, you only have to say the blessing once after putting up the first mezuzah.

Many Jews throughout the world, even those who are not religiously observant, affix a mezuzah to their front doorposts. This is one of the most important of all the Jewish gifts you can give a person who is important to you.

No Comments | In: jewish gifts | tags: jewish gifts, Jewish Wedding Gifts, mezuzah. | #

The holiday of Purim is behind us.

And as important as the celebration of a Jewish holiday is?

It’s also important that we take something with us.

That are lives are somehow different.

Here’s something I was thinking about on Purim.

And something I hope to think about every day as well.

… I mentioned in my last Torah Minute that G-d’s name is not in the Megillah.

Because G-d was there, but He was hidden.

There was no “splitting of the sea” like on Passover.

Purim is a day that we need to look deeper to see G-d.

To see that He was there pulling the strings.

… It’s one of the most fundamental Jewish teachings.

Every human being is created in the Image of G-d.

There is something G-dly in every person.

And with some people?

G-d’s presence is like the splitting of the sea!

You can’t miss it.

With others?

You need to look a bit closer to see it.

And sometimes we meet someone and…

“It just isn’t there.”

The holiday of Purim should remind us that the problem is with us.

That we need to look deeper. And deeper. To see beyond the external.

And if we do that with every person we meet?

We will find the Image of G-d!

All the best,

Moshe

Rabbi Moshe Katz

No Comments | In: Rabbi Moshe Katz | tags: jewish gifts, Passover, purim. | #

MEANING OF THE BAR MITZVAH

Many Jewish people mistake what the true meaning of the phrase, “the chosen people,” really is. A Bar Mitzvah gift and Israel gifts are often given to Bar Mitzvah boys and girls with no clear ideas of what a Bar Mitzvah actually means and what the gifts represent.

Some people think that the term “the chosen people” means that this ethnicity is supreme over any other. The true meaning, however, means that the time of the Bar Mitzvah is the time when a boy or girl accepts the responsibilities of the Jewish religion, tradition, laws and ethics.

The Jewish people were once offered the Torah from G-d at Mount Sinai and, after other groups had denied it, the Jews accepted the Torah and all of the responsibilities that come with it.

Up until the Bar Mitzvah day, it is the parent’s responsibility to guide the child through the everyday routines of keeping the Torah. When a boy turns 13 (and a girl, in reform or conservative movements, turn 12), he accepts the responsibilities for himself and is from then on held responsible for his actions and inaction.

These responsibilities are actually privileges, as it is a privilege to follow the Torah and it was an incredibly special gift from G-d. The Torah is believed to be a book of Hebrew text that must be studied endlessly in order to understand its myriad of hidden meanings and messages about life, death, how to be a good Jew and how to lead a successful and fruitful life.

Traditionally, boys and sometimes girls are called to the Bima during a Friday or Saturday Shabbot service to read a portion of the Torah, called HafTorah, and may involve a ‘D’var Torah’, which is a discussion of the week’s Torah portion (what it says and what it means).

Meaning of Bar Mitzvah Gifts

It has always been customary to acknowledge and drink to (or l’chaim’) the Bar Mitzvah boy or girl at the Kiddish that follows the ceremony. A gift is often presented to the Bar Mitzvah boy or girl, usually by the sisterhood of the congregation and other attendees of the Kiddish.

Traditional customary Bar Mitzvah gifts can be an engraved prayer book, or Siddur, or a Kiddish cup, which is used during the prayer over the wine in every Friday and Saturday Shabbot meal.

In more modern times, parties are thrown in honor of the Bar Mitzvah boys and girls. In conservative and reform movements, the parties have been known  to be quite grandeur and entertaining.

No Comments | In: bar mitzvah gifts | tags: bar mitzvah gifts, bar mitzvah meaning, bat mitzvah gift, jewish gifts. | #