Jews With Asian Heritage Pose Growing Identity Challenge to Jewish Establishment

Taly Krupkin, The Jewish Daily Forward   

Since their wedding in May 2012, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan have become the unofficial representatives of Jewish- and Asian-American couples in the United States.

Earlier this month they were prominently featured around the world hugging their firstborn daughter Max. Previous stories revolved around Hannukah celebrations at the couple’s home and around the fact that Zuckerberg was studying Chinese.

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What A Self-Described 'Imperfect Son' Learned From His Parents' Deaths

Author Bob Morris shares how devastating events shaped his views on religion.

By Carol Kuruvilla, HuffPost

One of the most unsettling things about struggling with a parent's death is that life outside the hospital or hospice is still moving rapidly forward. There are deadlines at work, children to take to soccer practice, bills to pay. And for some people, especially those who don't consider themselves connected to a specific religion, grappling with the death of a loved one can come with the added challenge of trying to make peace with what it all means on a cosmic level.  

Author Bob Morris faced these questions while preparing for the deaths of his mother and father, Joe and Ethel. His mother died in 2002, after more than a decade of being ill. His dad passed away a few years later. Morris writes about the what it was like to say goodbye to these two dearly loved ones in his latest memoir, Bobby Wonderful: An Imperfect Son Buries His Parents.

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My Husband’s Big Shabbat Idea Turned Out to Be Brilliant

By Merri Ukraincik for Kveller

A long time ago, my husband and I came to a mutual agreement that I’d handle the weekly Shabbat preparations and he’d wash the cholent pot on Saturday nights. It works for us—I enjoy the former and he has the stomach for the latter—and we never tell one another how to do our jobs.

But there was that one time my husband had a big idea.

He returned home late from work on a Thursday evening and pulled up a chair in the kitchen. I was sporting a schmutz-covered apron to conduct an orchestra of pots on the stove, a wooden spoon in each hand. Not quite a French maid holding a martini. Yet my less than sultry look wasn’t the problem. It was the dining room table.

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Who's Got Hanukkah Envy?

By Lisa Keys for Tablet Magazine

Last December, Jiming Liang’s son Aidan came home from kindergarten really jazzed about Hanukkah. He was excited to play dreidel and he wanted to buy a menorah.

Thing is, Aidan’s not Jewish; he learned about Hanukkah from a parent volunteer at his public school in South Orange, N.J. But no matter: Aidan’s enthusiasm for Hanukkah endured for those eight days and beyond. He played dreidel nonstop (the way a 5-year-old boy can home in on a particular toy), he taught his family what the letters meant, and he was thrilled about the menorahs he spotted around town. Liang even had to buy another dreidel so Aidan’s younger brother, Finn, wouldn’t miss out on the fun.

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For more great Hanukkah ideas, check out our    page.

For even more great ideas, visit our Hanukkah Holiday Spotlight Kit

Everything you need to know about Hanukkah 2015.

for MyJewishLearning.com

Hanukkah 2015 begins at sunset on Sunday, December 6, and ends on Monday, December 14.

What is Hanukkah?

Hanukkah is the Festival of Lights.

It commemorates the victory of the ancient Israelites over the Syrian Greek army, and the subsequent miracle of restoring the menorah in the Holy Temple in Jerusalem.

The miracle of Hanukkah is that only one vial of oil was found with just enough oil for one day, and yet it lasted for eight full days.

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For more great Hanukkah ideas, check out our    page.

For even more great ideas, visit our Hanukkah Holiday Spotlight Kit

Every Parent Needs to See This IKEA Christmas Commercial (Yes, Even if You’re Jewish)

By Joanna Valente (Editorial Assistant) for Kveller

With the winter holidays already bombarding stores and advertisements everywhere, it’s hard not to find yourself preoccupied with what to get your kid for Hanukkah (or Christmas, if your family celebrates that, too). But there’s always one thing that gets overlooked, regardless: family time.

In a video by IKEA Spain, 10 families were asked to participate in an experiment where their kids revealed what they really wanted for Christmas. Children ages 4 to 9 were asked to write two letters: In the first, they wrote to The Three Kings (Spain’s version of Santa) stating what they wanted for Christmas. In the second letter, the children wrote what they would ask their parents for Christmas. What they said isn’t what you’d expect.

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For even more great ideas, visit our Hanukkah Holiday Spotlight Kit

G‑dcast: Something to watch as a family

G‑dcast is a media production company whose goal is to give every Jewish child and adult the chance to learn the basics with zero barriers to entry. No matter where you live or what you know, we have meaningful, intelligent and fun Jewish learning for you.

G-dcast provides videos about each weekly Torah portion, all the Jewish holidays, lifecycle events, parenting, Talmud and so much more.

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Looking to put some fun in your family's Jewish Life?

You should check out "The Jewish Family Fun Book, 2nd Ed." 

Holiday Projects, Everyday Activities, and Travel Ideas with Jewish Themes

By Danielle Dardashti and Roni Sarig; Illustrations by Avi Katz

This celebration of Jewish family life is the perfect guide for families wanting to put a new Jewish spin on holidays, holy days, and even the everyday. Full of activities, games, and history, it is sure to inspire parents, children, and extended family to connect with Judaism in fun, creative ways.
With over eighty-five easy-to-do activities to re-invigorate age-old Jewish customs and make them fun for the whole family, this book is more than just kids’ stuff. It’s about taking the Jewish family experience to a new educational and entertaining level.
This new editon—updated and expanded—details activities for fun at home and away from home, including recipes, meaningful everyday and holiday crafts, travel guides, enriching entertainment…and much, much more!

Clearly illustrated and full of easy-to-follow instructions, this lively guide shows us how to take an active approach to exploring Jewish tradition and have fun along the way.

Topics include: The “Shake-Rattle-and-Roll” Grogger • Tooting Your Own Shofar • The Family Fun Seder • “Kid-ish” Kiddush Cup • Lip-Licking Latkes • Sukkah-Building Basics • How to Grow a Family Tree • Visiting Jewish Historical Sites, Family Camps, and Festivals • The Best (and Funnest) in Music, Books, and Websites for Jewish Families • …and much, much more


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‘Sesame Street’ Introduces First Character with Autism

Joanna Valente for Kveller 

Well, this makes us totally happy. “Sesame Street” just made history with the creation of their new muppet, Julia, who is the first character on the show with autism. Launched just this morning, “Sesame Street and Autism: See Amazing in All Children“ seeks to reduce “the stigma of autism,” which we’re all about.

The initiative was created for families with children ages 2 to 5, which includes a free app that incorporates video, digital story cards designed to make daily life tasks easier for those with autism, and storybook materials for organizations and families. These materials are intended to make children with autism feel included and understood. For instance, in the storybooks, Julia describes to her friends how she likes to play a little differently from them.

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7 Adorable (& Strange) Jewish Halloween Costumes for Your Entire Family

Joanna Valente for Kveller

Halloween is upon us, whether you like it or not. The spooky holiday has long been a controversial day for Jewish parents–do you let your kids partake in the treat-or-treating and ghoulish garb? Or not?

While we would never tell any parent what to do, we couldn’t help but do a little digging on the internet for Jewish Halloween costumes. What we found ranges from adorable to absolutely absurd. We hope these amuse you just as much as they amused us (our favorite is the last one, of course):

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My Laidback Approach to Allergies Almost Killed My Daughter

Adar Novak for Kveller

I can be pretty persuasive. Especially when it comes to my daughters’ food allergies.

I convinced myself it was alright to give my younger daughter a drop of peanut butter because, I told my husband, laughing, “We have Benadryl in the house!”

I convinced myself that my older daughter wasn’t, in fact, having her first allergy attack in a Thai restaurant.

“Your lips aren’t swollen, sweetie,” I said, annoyed. “They’re just chapped.”

I even persuaded myself that my children’s food allergies would define them if I didn’t take a laid-back approach. That I would telegraph my anxiety to them, and they would become social outcasts.

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Noah’s Giant Rainbow Sprinkle Cookies

From ChallahCrumbs.com 

Giant Rainbow Sprinkle Cookies are a perfect dessert this weekend!

Makes 12 giant cookies.

Ingredients:

¾ c margarine
1 c sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 ½ c flour
1 tsp baking powder
Rainbow Sprinkles

Directions:
Cream the margarine and sugar together. Add everything else.

Form large balls. Roll the tops of the cookies in the rainbow sprinkle. Press down gently in a muffin top tin or cookie sheet. Bake at 400 for 9-10 minutes.

For more great Jewish cooking ideas, check out our    page.

My Son’s Bris Was Going Fine–Until I Needed to Prove I’m Jewish

Daisy Alpert Florin for Kveller

The smell of butter and onions from the omelette station drifts upstairs to the room where I am changing into my mother-in-law’s clothing. It is the day of my son Sam’s bris, and even though I gave birth eight days earlier, I still look like I’m five months pregnant. My stomach is loose and flabby and looks like a wrung-out piece of cheesecloth. My previously non-existent breasts have ballooned to C-cups. None of my own clothing fits me so my mother-in-law, Annette, who has arranged, paid for, and is hosting this party at her Long Island home, has lent me some of her clothes. I have never loved her more.

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Holiday: Succah Decor

From creativejewishmom.com

With the fabulous Jewish holiday of succot beginning next Sunday night, well the pressure is on to get crafting! We dwell in our succahs for 7 days (8 days outside Israel) so filling it with beautiful crafts is certainly a great thing to do!  One of the simplest things to do is to craft with paper, though if you think it might rain, see if you can take these ideas and make them from something rainproof!

For starters, I just love these quilled paper ornaments, that I really want to try using craft foam! There are so many possibilities, and even youngish kids can get the hang of it, or if you choose to go the easiest route and staple everything together, so you can make a bunch together. For complete instructions check out my quilled paper succah decorations.

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 The High Holidays are upon us, check out our High Holidays Spotlight Kit

Battling My Son’s Major Back-to-School Anxiety

Samantha Taylor for Kveller    

Last year, when we moved my 10-year-old out of public school and into a private school that would help him with his learning issues, social skills, and anxiety, we knew it was the right move for him.

This year, he started school with no hesitation. He was happy to return to his routine and start fifth grade. The second week of school he got into my car clutching a “Code of Conduct” book they had given the students that day. As we pulled out of the parking lot, his voice started to quiver.

“We talked about this book today,” he said. “If I’m late to school three times or have more than 10 unexcused absences, I could have detention or Saturday school.”

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 The High Holidays are upon us, check out our High Holidays Spotlight Kit

Why I Always Admit My Mistakes to My Children

Lela Casey for Kveller

My kids have no delusions about me being a perfect mother. Dishes slip from my fingers just as easily as parent-teacher conference dates slip from my mind. I make mistakes just as readily as I forgive theirs.

I’m OK with this. In fact, I’m glad about it. I want them to understand that no one, not even their mother, is perfect. So, if they hear me slip out an occasional swear word, or if they have to suffer through a dinner of mushy pasta, or cringe watching me trip over my too-high heels, or even miss a karate class here and there because I just can’t get my act together, it will only serve to make our relationship more authentic.

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New Things To Do for Rosh Hashanah

By Amy Deutsch for Kveller

Every fall, the air gets cooler, the kids go back to school, and Rosh Hashanah rolls around. The holiday itself celebrates the Jewish new year, but also deals with some more serious topics, like renewal, forgiveness, and thinking hard about how to be a better person in the next year. There are many ways to celebrate Rosh Hashanah, from huge family dinners to going to services at synagogue to eating apples and honey.

But what if you and your family want to do something different this year? We know that not everyone celebrates in the same way, so we’ve come up with a list of our favorite Rosh Hashanah-y activities that are great to do with young kids. Try one out, and if all goes well, you could have a new family tradition on your hands.

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Check out Jvillage’s High Holiday+    page.

For more information and ideas visit our High Holidays Spotlight Kit

Dear Gefilte: How Do I Talk About God with My Kid When My Husband Is Atheist?

Dear Gefilte is Kveller's advice column
Dear Gefilte,

I grew up Modern Orthodox and have been through various stages of religiosity. I no longer practice, except to celebrate some traditions like holidays and cultural events. I married a secular atheist, though, who celebrates the same cultural Jewish milestones I do, but he is vehemently opposed to anything religious, especially the idea of God. I have never given up on the idea of God, or perhaps a benevolent being or “the universe” or something amorphous beyond our rationalist minds.

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Jewish Education in Early Childhood

The long-term value of early exposure to all things Jewish

By Caron Blau Rothstein for MyJewishLearning.com

Parents want the best for their children right from the start. Even while we are still pregnant, we are already seeking out the best pediatrician, the best hospital for our delivery, and the best items for our baby registry. At some point along the parenthood journey, however, Jewish parents will also explore the best Jewish aspects of childbirth and parenting.
Shalom Baby

Why start so early in a child’s life with Jewish involvement? Why not wait until religious school or summer camp, when your children are older and you can discuss their experiences with them?

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From Grandmother to Granddaughter, Passing Along Religious Traditions

When parents are absent or uninterested in spirituality, a grandparent often steps in

By Clare Ansberry, WSJ

Kathy Reveille began taking her granddaughter, Bianca, to church because no one else did.

Bianca’s mother was Catholic and her father was Baptist. They couldn’t agree on what church to attend so they didn’t go. “I really wanted to belong to a church. I didn’t care what kind,” says Bianca, who is turning 15 this week. She always felt she was missing something, she says. The absence became more pronounced after her father died.

“That’s when the big questions come up,” says her grandmother, Ms. Reveille. “I stepped into the gap.”

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YouTube Kids Is Google’s First App Designed for Children

New app gives parents more control over their children's YouTube browsing.

by D. Frank Smith, EdTechMagazine
One of the world’s most powerful online educational tools just got a new, kid-friendly package.

On Monday, Google released YouTube Kids for free on Android and iOS smartphones and tablets. In a blog post on YouTube, the app is billed as "the first Google product built from the ground up with little ones in mind" and one that makes browsing the video site’s massive library safe and easy for kids.

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Reclaiming the Spark

 By Tzipi Sutin for jnmagazine.com
I have a confession: Shabbos isn’t so fun for me. During the week I’m busy taking care of my toddler, cleaning and organizing the house, preparing meals, running errands and helping grow a small doula business. By the time Thursday night or Friday morning arrives, I have very little energy left to put together a 4-course meal.

I tried for a while. I would stay up very late or wake up very early and make sure the house was just perfect and that each recipe was prepared with loving tenderness and deep kavanah. My husband didn’t like to make early Shabbos so I would try to keep my daughter up for Kiddush and Hamotzi but it didn’t always work, and if it did her sleep schedule was so twisted that the next day was awful.

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To the Woman at Target Who Shamed Me & My Son

Rachel Wallenstein for Kveller

Out of the corner of my eye, as I was pushing my cart with my shrieking 3.5-year-old to our car in 86 degree heat, I saw you watching me. I promptly forgot, though, as I was hyper focused on getting my son safely in the car to calm down.

When you knocked on my window, as I was about to start driving, I hesitated because I had a feeling I knew why you were there. Still, I wanted to give you the benefit of the doubt; maybe you needed some help. The pamphlet on “Discipline” that you tried to give me, and then–when I declined–placed on my windshield, made me laugh heartily. Especially because after you first tried to hand it to me, I simply said, “No thanks, my son has autism and is having a meltdown–not a tantrum.” Then you said, “It still applies.”

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The Trip to Costco That Made Me Cry

Maurie Backman for Kveller.com

Last week, with my mom around to help me out at home, I decided to take advantage and drive over to Costco to stock up on some much-needed potato chips supplies. I had to time my outing perfectly so as not to leave my mother with two screaming newborns on her hands, so the moment I finished changing and feeding them, I grabbed my toddler and immediately jumped into the car. Taking my son along would undoubtedly slow things down, and I only had a short window of time before my girls would need to eat again (ah, the joys of nursing twins). But there’s a reason I chose to bring him, and in hindsight, I’m thankful I did.

My 3-year-old loves Costco–as in, he’d pass up a trip to Toys R Us any day of the week for a chance to walk those massive warehouse aisles, taking in his surroundings while sampling freebies. Now as anyone who frequents Costco knows, weekday food distribution can be very hit or miss. Sometimes they’ll have so many food samples on hand it’s enough to skip your next meal; but other times, you’ll be lucky to snag a shot-sized cup of Vitamin Water in the very back corner.

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Harvard psychologists have been studying what it takes to raise 'good' kids. Here are 6 tips

Curator: Maz Ali for Upworthy

Help unlock your child's best self with a few tried-and-true strategies.

A lot of parents are tired of being told how technology is screwing up their kids.

Moms and dads of the digital age are well aware of the growing competition for their children's attention, and they're bombarded at each turn of the page or click of the mouse with both cutting-edge ideas and newfound worries for raising great kids.

But beneath the madness of modernity, the basics of raising a moral child haven't really changed.

Parents want their kids to achieve their goals and find happiness, but Harvard researchers believe that doesn't have to come at the expense of kindness and empathy. They say a few tried-and-true strategies remain the best ways to mold your kids into the morally upstanding and goals-oriented humans you want them to be. Here are six practical tips:

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The Myth of Perfect Parenting

Three ways to let go of impossible expectations and embrace imperfection.

by Adina Soclof for aish.com

Many mothers, and some fathers too, have shared with me their insecurities about parenting. All their questions and concerns have one underlying theme: Am I doing this parenting thing right? Am I really a good parent?

This pressure seems to be a modern phenomenon. In the early 1900’s, a new field of study was born: child psychology, pioneered by Freud. He believed that the way that parents handle their children during childhood has a profound and lasting influence on the overall development of their psyche.
In some ways this knowledge has taken away our confidence and has given us unrealistic expectations of parenting. We want to make sure that our children have idyllic childhoods so they reach adulthood unscarred. It has us striving for something unattainable: perfection in parenting. Aiming for perfection is robbing us of the simple joys of parenting.

Here are three ways on how to let go of the myth of being the perfect parent:

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