Kveller – Mom Advice & Community for Jewish Parenting, Relationships, Babies, Pregnancy, Toddlers, Raising Jewish Kids

If you've Googled anything today, you may have been struck by a harrowing black-and-white Google Doodle featuring a typewriter. It honors Nelly Sachs, an incredible German Jewish poet and Holocaust… survivor. Sachs was born to a well-to-do Jewish family in Berlin 127 years ago, on December 10, 1891. As a teen, Sachs was inspired by the writing Swedish author Selma Lagerlöf, to whom she wrote admiring letters. Much of her early published work was inspired by Lagerlöf's romantic style. As Hitler rose to power, Sachs was only… >> Read More

This Cover of Matisyahu’s ‘Happy Hanukkah’ Makes Us So Happy

You may know the Canadian band Walk Off the Earth from their incredibly viral 2012 cover of Gotye's "Somebody That I Used to Know" that featured all five members of the group jamming and singing on… a single guitar. Since then, they've created many other epic covers, though their version of Ed Sheeran's "Shape of You" is seriously the best. Not only are the members of Walk Off the Earth incredible musicians, but apparently they're clever, too: Though they're not a Jewish group, they clearly caught onto the viral video phenomenon that… >> Read More

There’s Another Hanukkah Parody of a Queen Song You Have to Hear

If you loved Six13's awesome "Bohemian Hanukkah," you'll be happy to know that there's another new Hanukkah parody that features a Queen song. A cappella group Y-Studs have recorded their version of… one of my favorite songs by the British rock band, "Don't Stop Me Now." Watch and enjoy this unstoppable video, below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uI74Bkc8j9k >> Read More

This Hanukkah Parody of Toto’s ‘Africa’ Is Ridiculously Meta

It's a tough world out there for Jewish a cappella groups — having to churn out a new song for every major Jewish holiday (there are a lot of them!) can be pretty overwhelming. And then there's… Hanukkah, which is by far the hottest season for Jewish a cappella music, and the pressure to put out a fresh hit can be intense. But as this new video by Shir Soul demonstrates — in a very meta, modern way — sometimes the lack of inspiration becomes inspiration itself. The song is a ridiculously… >> Read More

Gal Gadot is Fighting Domestic Violence in this Amazing Way

Channeling the spirit of Wonder Woman, Gal Gadot is fighting to end a terrible (and very real) plight: domestic violence. The Israeli actress posted on Instagram this Tuesday and called for people… worldwide to join her in fighting domestic violence, saying that it doesn't discriminate by gender, age, or religion. "Enough is enough," Gadot wrote, "it HAS to stop." In the post, Gadot refers to protests and rallies against domestic violence which are currently happening across Israel, leading many women and men to post selfies with the words… >> Read More

The Top 8 Hanukkah Parodies of All Time

Hanukkah is upon-us-kah! In recent years, the Festival of Lights has become an occasion that's celebrated with a wealth of Jewish a cappella songs, including some so infectious that they are pretty… much guaranteed to get stuck in your head all year long. Here at Kveller, we have compiled our 8 favorite Hanukkah parodies. Play one for each night of the holiday — or play all of them on repeat every night. You do you! 8) "Candlelight" — The Maccabeats Here's the O.G. that started it all: "Candlelight"… >> Read More

Quentin Tarantino Marries Israeli Singer in Most Jewish Ceremony Ever

Quentin Tarantino just got married to Israeli singer and model Daniella Pick — and the ceremony was so, so Jewish. The 55-year-old Pulp Fiction director, who is not Jewish, wore a kippah for the… intimate Reform wedding ceremony, which included 20 guests. Jewish director and actor Eli Roth was the best man, and other famous Jewish guests included Maya Rudloph and Harvey Keitel. Pick wore a dress by Israeli designer Dana Harel, who posted some amazing pictures from the festivities: View this post on Instagram It’s party time!… >> Read More

The Maccabeats Are Back with a Fresh Take on a Hanukkah Classic

Our favorite Hanukkah songsters, the Maccabeats, are back with a new holiday tune! This year, the Jewish a capella group — which was started in 2007 at Yeshiva University and rose to fame with… their now-classic Hanukkah song, "Candlelight" — riffed on the most iconic Hanukkah tune of all: "I Have a Little Dreidel." The music group covered the song in no less than 7 different exciting musical styles, ranging from classical to hip-hop (plus, similar to a recent tune from another Jewish a cappella group, Six13, there's a… >> Read More

The Hanukkah Story Characters You Need to Know

The tale of how Hanukkah came to be is in the books of 1 and 2 Maccabees, which are not officially part of the Hebrew Bible but are significant nonetheless. The story of how Hanukkah came to is… amazing — here's a super-abridged version. In short, it's action-packed and is chockablock with fascinating characters — some of whom are well known and others, less so. Here's a quick introduction to some of the more iconic characters connected to the story of Hanukkah. A warning: Some of their stories are quite gruesome! Antiochus III… >> Read More

A Santa Dreidel Actually Exists and It’s a Shanda

Another holiday season is upon us, with Hanukkah starting bright and early this year — December 2, to be exact — and ending with plenty of weeks to spare until Christmas, two lovely holidays that… should have absolutely nothing to do with each other. Seriously. Aside from its Decemberish date, Hanukkah bears no relation to Christmas. But, as if our people haven't suffered enough, we were recently confronted (or rather, re-acquainted) with the hideousness that is the Santa dreidel, when Kveller contributor Laurel Snyder tweeted the following image: https://www.instagram.com/p/BqiEXZMni3h/ Like… >> Read More

Hanukkah Activities to Do With Your Kids’ Class

Hanukkah is coming up soon — this year, it begins on the night of December 2nd. And if your kids don't attend a Jewish day school, there's a chance you may be tasked with organizing a Hanukkah… classroom activity for your child's class. Volunteering to teach a room full of children about Hanukkah is a brave thing indeed, so we're here to help. Here are some ideas for classroom activities for kids: Read a Hanukkah book together: There's quite a fabulous selection of Hanukkah books out there, for many age ranges, and… >> Read More

Know These Hanukkah Fire Safety Tips Before You Light the Menorah

Hanukkah this year begins on Sunday, Dec. 2. And while everyone loves Hanukkah, there's no Jewish holiday that's as dangerous Open flames? Check! Boiling oil? Check! Sharp graters for latke-making?… Check! Of course, the safest thing to do would be not to light any candles or fry any foods, but let's get real: We're not giving that up. So we've compiled these helpful tips to help you minimize the risks and have a safe and bright Hanukkah. Menorah safety tips: Don't leave your menorahs unattended… >> Read More

DIY

The Best Hanukkah Craft Ideas on the Internet

How do you get your kids in the spirit of Hanukkah? Why with these fun Hanukkah crafts, of course! From creating your own menorahs to making delicious, edible dreidels, we've compiled a list of… the best Hanukkah crafts out there: Make your own menorah mold Make an edible dreidel Make a Hanukkah sun catcher Make Hanukkah decorations using leftover gelt Make your own Lego dreidels Make a flame-free menorah using swim noodles Decorate your own Hanukkah cookies Make a mini, portable menorah out of an Altoids tin Make a… >> Read More

DIY

How to Host a Hanukkah Party for Kids

So you've decided to throw a Hanukkah party for your kid(s) and their friends. Congratulations! You are an awesome and brave parent! Now, to the task ahead. Throwing a Hanukkah party for kids… may seem daunting but it doesn't have to be. Here's a checklist and some easy hacks to make your party as successful and stress-free as can be: Decide who to invite: How much can you handle? There's no right or wrong, so it's up to you if you want a small party with a few… >> Read More

Amy Schumer and Kate Middleton Have This Pregnancy Condition in Common

In a recent Instagram post, Amy Schumer opened up how pregnancy — despite all its happiness and wonder — can really suck sometimes. And it's so totally relatable. Schumer recently announced… her pregnancy, jokingly comparing herself to a certain expecting royal, Meghan Markle. But it looks like she's feeling more like another recently pregnant royal: Schumer spoke out about being diagnosed with hyperemesis gravidarum, a condition Kate Middleton endured in her pregnancies. Essentially, hyperemesis gravidarum, or HG, is extreme morning sickness that doesn't subside after the… >> Read More

How to Find a Hanukkah Party Near You

Hanukkah comes but once a year — and this year, it's early. Hanukkah begins the night of Sunday, Dec. 2 and lasts until Monday, Dec. 10. With so little time between Thanksgiving and the Festival… of Lights, throwing your own Hanukkah party may be off the books. But it's absolutely not too late to find that perfect Hanukkah party to take your kids to. Here are some ways to discover what's going on around you: Search Facebook events near you Facebook is a great place to find nearby Hanukkah parties… >> Read More

work-life balance

This Jewish Actor Shows What It’s Really Like to Work From Home When You Have Kids

If you don't know actor Adam Goldberg by name — and you really should — it's highly likely that you'd recognize him nonetheless. For starters, the very talented and prolific actor starred in the… cult classic The Hebrew Hammer. He's also had roles in blockbusters like Saving Private Ryan and A Beautiful Mind, as well as and a bunch of parts in what he calls "doomed series." The Jewish dad of two also posts the most wonderful threads on Twitter. This Sunday, he posted one that totally nails how frustrating, impossible, and endlessly… >> Read More

11 Hanukkah Gift Ideas for Someone Who Just Had a Baby

It's kinda hard to believe, but it's nearly Hanukkah! This year, the Festival of Lights begins on the evening of Sunday, December 2. As your friends who just had a baby sit in front of that… crackling menorah, they may feel like it’s not just the candles that are on fire — but also their eyes, from lack of sleep; their nether regions, if they just delivered; their backs, from constant nursing or baby-carrying; or their brains, from the overwhelming tasks of new parenthood. In other words, having a new baby is… >> Read More

halloween

After Pittsburgh, I’m Canceling My Son’s First Halloween

I was really looking forward to my son's first Halloween. Even though he's not yet 5 months old, I ordered his costume months in advance: a Batman onesie, sized 6-9 months, replete with a shiny cape.… The plan was to have our dog, Robin, dress up as Batman's sidekick, Robin (of course). Everyone who I told about the costume was delighted at the prospective cuteness of a joint dog and baby costume. I'm Israeli, so I didn't grow up celebrating Halloween — it's not a tradition I feel particularly enmeshed in.… >> Read More

jewish music

You Need to Hear This Moving Song About the Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting

The Jewish bluegrass band Nefesh Moutain has written a moving song in memory of the 11 victims of Saturday's Tree of Life synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh. Husband and wife team Eric Lindberg… and Doni Zasloff — who is also known as the Jewish children's musician Mama Doni — wrote this heartfelt tune the night after the terrible massacre, as a way to "cope with the fear and sadness" that they, like the rest of us, are feeling. It is appropriately called "Tree of Life," and it's the… >> Read More

Jewish Mom Selma Blair Opens up About Having MS

Actress Selma Blair just opened up about having MS in an incredibly moving Instagram post. The Jewish actress, whose Hebrew name is Bat-Sheva, has risen to fame with iconic roles in movies like… Cruel Intentions and She's All That. More recently, she's gotten acclaim for her role as Kardashian matriarch Kris Jenner in The People v. O.J. Simpson. As a longtime fan, I truly believe Blair is an underrated actress — I love her versatility and enjoyed her in many indie roles, like in the cult Hellboy franchise. She is… >> Read More

Are You There God

Judy Blume’s ‘Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret’ Will Become a Movie

Back in August, one of our most favorite writer ever — that would be Judy Blume — tweeted: “So which of my books, kids and/or adult would you want to see adapted for series or movie? I ask… because I’m in LA meeting with many talented people. I think the time has come.” Enraptured fans flooded her with responses, as did all of us here at Kveller HQ. And now, we finally know what the first on-screen adaptation is going to be! Blume has granted the rights to "Are You There God, It's… >> Read More

health

There’s a Measles Outbreak in Israel and Now It’s Coming to the U.S.

There’s a measles outbreak in Israel — and it’s spreading to the U.S. There are now over 679 confirmed cases in Israel as of October 14 — with the majority in Jerusalem, and the majority of… the patients under 9 years of age. Measles is considered one of the world's most highly contagious diseases, and Israel's ministry of health is having a hard time isolating and containing it. What makes this mom-of-an-infant — one who is still too young to receive the vaccine — infuriated is that this outbreak could have… >> Read More

baby names

44 One-Syllable Jewish Baby Names

A baby's name is the first gift we give them, so it's important to be thoughtful about it. Sometimes, the perfect name is a short and sweet one — and it's surprising how much meaning a one-syllable… name can pack. (In fact, one of the Hebrew words for gifts is Shay, which is itself a beautiful, one-syllable name.) So if you're in the process of naming your child, or helping others with a baby name, I would encourage you to peruse this list of lovely one-syllable names. After all, everyone knows the best… >> Read More

Movies

Mary Poppins’ True Magic Lies in Jewish Music (and Bette Midler Agrees)