Nov 29 2012
By Nina Badzin at 5:07 pm
The Hanukkah I see in children’s books demonstrates families playing dreidel
and eating latkes while the menorah shines brilliantly in the window. Then
there’s the inevitable illustration of the kids’ utter elation when the parents unveil
a bag of gelt night after night.
The scene sounds delightful, but I can’t imagine it’s realistic in all Jewish homes. Let’s be honest: starting in October, lots of Jewish kids obsess over the ”holiday” (aka Christmas) catalogues that arrive daily in mailboxes around the country.
Right or wrong, at some point this tradition of 8 nights of gifts as influenced by Christmas has become part of the Hanukkah many of us know and love. Read the rest of this entry →
By Kveller at 1:38 pm
To continue with our eight days of Hanukkah recipes, today we’re bringing you some variations on the traditional latke. Be sure to click here for more variations including curried sweet potato latkes, colorful latkes, and veggie latkes, too.
If you’re not supposed to have so much oil (despite the miracle!), you can spray a cookie sheet with vegetable oil spray or Pam and put any of these in a hot (450 degree) oven for about 5-8 minutes on each side.
Sweet Potato Latkes (Pareve) Read the rest of this entry →
By Carla Naumburg at 9:56 am
My big girl just turned 4 years old, and she got several games for her birthday. I’m psyched. I love games. I spent my childhood playing Parcheesi with my father, Boggle with my mother, and cards with my grandmother and cousins. I spent a summer slamming Dominos on a small wooden table in the countryside of the Dominican Republic, and I’m still trying to beat my father at gin.
Armed with these happy memories, I gladly sat down on our living room floor to play Chutes and Ladders with my daughters. Twenty minutes and many, many chutes later, we weren’t much closer to anyone winning, and I was ready to poke my eyes out. Read the rest of this entry →
Nov 28 2012
By Kveller at 6:46 pm
What would a Jewish holiday be without food? Luckily, we don’t have to answer that. We’ve got plenty of delicious Hanukkah recipes to fill you up on every night of Hanukkah. And since Hanukkah is eight (week)days away, we thought we’d share one a day right here on the blog. First up: Rhea Yablon Kennedy’s recipe for Hanukkah cupcakes! Below is the recipe for jelly-filled cupcakes, and be sure to click here to get recipes for lemon cupcakes and deep-fried chocolate cupcakes, too.
Jelly-Filled “Sufganiyot” Cupcakes
Makes 12 cupcakes. Read the rest of this entry →
By Kveller at 9:51 am
What to get for the kiddos this Hanukkah? Finding gifts that are at least a little Jewish is always a plus. Consider making some of these great gifts from ModernTribe part of your kids’ eight nights.
The perfect mezuzah for any star wars lover, this is. It’s one of the many Star Wars LEGO Mezuzahs ($35-$45), including ones featuring Darth Vader, Chewbacca, Obi Wan Kenobi, Yoda, Count Dooku, Mace Windu. If you’ve got more of a Hello Kitty fan on your hands, we’ve got that covered too. Read the rest of this entry →
Nov 27 2012
By Molly Tolsky at 4:01 pm
The holiday season is upon us, and we are definitely in a giving mood. That’s why we have yet another giveaway for our lovely readers. This time it’s all about the jewelry.
Bitz of Glitz is an online jewelry boutique founded by Chaya Forchheimer, a Jewish woman with a passion for fashion forward accessories for women, girls and babies.
Bitz of Glitz is kindly giving away a $50 gift card to two lucky winners, who will be able to pick out the perfect piece of jewelry for them (or their kids!). To get an idea of what you can win, check out this adorable charm bracelet for girls (pictured above), double heart earrings, stackable bangles, and this beautiful hamsa necklace (pictured right).
To enter the giveway, please follow these steps:
1. LIKE Bitz of Glitz on Facebook.
2. SIGN UP for Kveller’s newsletter.
Once you’ve completed both steps, leave us a note in the comments below. We’ll choose two winners next Monday, December 3rd. And even if you don’t win, Kveller readers can get free shipping and 10% off all purchases from Bitz of Glitz by using the code “KVELLER10″ at check out. Happy shopping!
By Kveller at 11:14 am
She gave birth, and then oh-so-much more. Thank mom this Hanukkah with a thoughtful present. Here are our favorite picks from ModernTribe.
If you’re dealing with a cooking-friendly mama, she will be proud to serve her potato pancakes in style with this adorable Stainless Steel Latke Server ($6). Or if you’re looking for something she can use year round, they make the same server just for kugel. Read the rest of this entry →
Nov 26 2012
By Kveller at 9:19 am
Sometimes you just want to make yourself look pretty. And your kids may very well have similar instincts. A manicure is one of our favorite ways to treat ourselves, and the little ones like to get in on it, too. Midrash Manicures combines Jewish education and creative nail art to make Torah more meaningful to you and your family. And all while making yourself look fabulous! Read the rest of this entry →
Nov 21 2012
By Kveller at 11:31 am
We know, we know, Thanksgiving hasn’t even happened yet and we’re already talking Hanukkah. But the holiday falls early this year (first night=December 8th), and we’re here to get you into the Hanukkah mood. What better way than with a little Hanukkah music?
Songwriter/comedian/nice Jewish girl Lauren Mayer tackles the challenges of the season–including what it’s like to be Jewish in a secular Christmas season–through musical humor with her CD Latkes, Schmatkes! Songs range from “Don’t They Know (Not Everyone Does Christmas)” and “A Good Old Down Home Country Chanukah” to “The Jew-In-A-Gentile-World Blues.” You can buy the album on Amazon, iTunes, Picklehead Music, and CDBaby.
If you’d like to rock out with Lauren and your kids, we’re giving away a copy to one lucky winner. To enter, sign up for our newsletter by clicking here. Once you’ve done that, let us know by entering a comment below. If you’re already signed up for our newsletter, just skip to the commenting part. We will choose a winner next Monday, November 26th, so enter today. Good luck!
Nov 19 2012
By Kveller at 5:01 pm
When it comes to Hanukkah, menorahs are kind of a big deal. You’ll have to look at it for eight days straight, so you better find one you really like. Here are our favorites from ModernTribe.
This Glass Menorah ($24.00) is both elegant and a bargain. It provides a simple base so you can get creative with colorful candles. Even better, its clear design prevents a clashing with any of your holiday decor. Read the rest of this entry →
