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Showing posts with label Menorah. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Menorah. Show all posts
December 27, 2025
Journeys of Faith in an Uber Ride
December 18, 2025
December 18, 2022
Giving the World a Hand
While we ourselves can do positive things to learn and grow as individuals, it’s a bigger and greater mitzvah when it’s shared with others! Just like Joseph, who rose above being a slave and prisoner to save the world, we can all rise above ourselves and our life predicaments to do good that spreads far and wide, perhaps even beyond our wildest imagination.
(Source Photo: https://pixabay.com/photos/hands-world-map-global-earth-600497/)
December 3, 2022
Hanukkah Is About Fortifying the Family
Modern Hellenism is when Judaism becomes less and less Jewish and more and more like another “value system” that is “politically correct” or “in style.”
To be clear, not every Jew is going to be “religious” in the same way, but still, each of us can contribute to the welfare of the whole. The point of Hanukkah is that Torah-true Judaism exists, even if we as individuals struggle to fulfill it. The task at hand is for each family and each of us to model proper behavior (thought, word, and deed) and to educate our children in the same so that the Greeks of our time do not win.
(Credit Photo: The National Guard via https://flic.kr/p/BBXA4R)
October 17, 2022
The Art of Friendship
My hope and prayer is that this is just a small microcosm of friendship and peace that can spread in all communities, societies, nations, and lands, so that we are no longer black or white, Jew, Muslim, or Christian, or any other divisive label, but rather that we are all children of G-d, and plain and simple, friends.
(Credit Photos: Andy and Dossy Blumenthal)
December 1, 2021
November 28, 2021
December 10, 2020
My Wonderful Opa
He was the President of Congregation Ramath Orah on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in NYC.
I used to be so proud of him standing up at the bimah (podium) and giving the Shabbat announcements every week and everything he did to care for the synagogue and community.
Also, I loved to go up and sit next to him by Ark where the holy Torahs are kept.
He was an exceptional human being, as was his son, my father (and my father's siblings, my Uncle Sid and Aunt Ruth).
Good to the core people! People of faith and family!
I miss my Opa and Oma (grandmother) as well as my dear parents very much.
Like the Chanukah Menorah, they were the light of my upbringing and set me on a path to go forward with my own family.
Chanukah is a time of miracles and I feel that I have seen them not only in our history, but in our lives today! ;-)
December 24, 2019
Celebrating The Holidays
The matching suit and tie with all the decorative holiday ornaments.
The bright red shirt.
The tree hat with the star on top.
And the dark glasses.
Wow, standout city!
Where do you get clothing like this?
I wonder if I could do this with a menorah too. LOL
Happy Holidays to all. ;-)
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
April 15, 2019
The Passover Menorah
So what's with the menorah?
Well my friend, John Akkus (of Akkus Silver Touch), made this beautiful piece for me.
I love the fine handiwork of copper, brass, crystals, Jewish symbols (Stars of David) and bold colors of this amazing menorah.
John sells his art at the annual Suglarloaf Festivals in the Spring.
I am so glad I found this wonderful menorah--it is beautiful all year long (through Chanukah and Passover).
Thank you John and nice job! ;-)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
March 18, 2019
March 17, 2019
December 4, 2018
Celebrating Chanukah At Ulpan
Morah Degani had a special night planned for us tonight to celebrate Chanukah.
She called me up to light the candles for the 3rd night and recite the blessing.
Then she played Chanukah songs and we sang along to the Hebrew words on the screen.
We later read and talked about the story of Chanukah and all the meaning and significance of it for having freedom of religion/worship and to maintain our religion and not assimilate.
It was a beautiful way to learn and practice our Hebrew.
Happy 3rd night of Chanukah! ;-)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
December 2, 2018
On The First Night Of Chanukah
Please see my article in The Times of Israel called, "The Lesson of the Candy Lane Menorah."
It was a beautiful ushering in the first night of Chanukah by Chabad of Bethesda, Maryland. The "candy" menorah that they were going to use was somehow destroyed, but Chabad came with a spare--they are terrific...even when things go wrong, miracles can happen, but we have to be prepared like Chabad was tonight.
Happy First Night of Chanukah to everyone! ;-)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
April 22, 2018
Sugarloaf Crafts Festival
I love this time of year when the weather gets nice and we can do more outdoor activities.
Today, we took the opportunity to go to the Sugarloaf Crafts Festival.
There were so many vendors with artistic works in metal, glass, art, jewelry, leather, photography, pottery, and more.
Everyone seemed to be looking for those one-of-a-kind special pieces.
I did manage to find a very special colorful menorah, which I had my eye on since last year, and which I was glad that I waited for because the artisan made it even better and more beautiful than before.
Again, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and most things were an easy pass on, but some things definitely caught my eye and attention.
The photo here was one of them where the artist was selling pots, and he set up this plastic chicken--as if the chicken was set and ready to go into the oven.
Creativity can definitely get weird, but everyone likes a standout. ;-)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumethal)
December 16, 2014
Happy Hanukkah
Hanukkah is the holiday of lights and miracles.
It has special meaning for me as it was many years ago now on the first night of Hanukkah that I went on my first date with my lovely wife, Dannielle.
When I came home, I said to my parents, "This is the one!"
And so it began...
On another note, many of you are probably aware of the famous miracle of Hanukkah that in the ruins of the Jewish Temple, which had been desecrated by the Greeks more than 2,000 years ago, a single vial of oil was found, and although it would normally only last for 1 day to keep the menorah lit, instead it lasted for 8 days (the time it took to prepare a new supply).
Apparently, the oil supply shocks of the 1970's really weren't that new a phenomenon after all...
Similarly, I recently saw a funny comic that said that the miracle of Hanukkah today is that the smartphone battery that normally last 1 day (or less if you use it a lot during the day) lasts for 8 days.
Clearly, the miracles of ancient times are still fresh with us in modern times as well. ;-)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
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