Maia Elder-Kadar and her husband, Ofer, won’t be seeing their daughter, Yael, over Passover this year. “She said she misses us,” Elder-Kadar said. “She misses her friends.” Yael, 18, is one of a number of Bay Area Jews currently in the Israeli Defense Forces who is facing a Passover far from home this year because…
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Holidays
Passover
Why that night in Moscow in 1979 was different from all other nights
It was early April 1979, the week before Passover, although we didn’t realize it at the time. We grew up completely secular in the Soviet Union. Nobody in…
Local Voice
Passover, Covid-19 and the dangers of inhumane healthcare
The Hebrew word “Pesach” connotes “hovering in a protective way,” much as a mother bird might hover over her nest, protecting her offspring. The common…
Israel
Israel declares complete coronavirus lockdown on eve of Passover
Israelis will be under a complete lockdown beginning on Tuesday through at least Friday to stem the spread of the coronavirus during the Passover holiday.…
Yom HaShoah
Yad Vashem to mark Holocaust Remembrance Day with at-home name-reading videos
Yad Vashem, Israel’s Holocaust memorial and museum in Jerusalem, is creating a global name-reading initiative to mark Yom HaShoah, or Holocaust…
Religion
Passover in the Holy of Holies
This year as we prepare for Passover, there is a sense of sadness and disappointment. So many will be forced to celebrate the holiday alone without…
Film
Friendly reminder: ‘The Prince of Egypt’ is amazing. And it’s on Hulu.
My reconnection with “The Prince of Egypt” this week, after what I’m going to estimate as approximately 15 years, was not under ideal circumstances. I was…
Music
Yiddish Combo will stream one-song mini-concerts every night during Passover
Two days before the San Francisco Yiddish Combo was asked to perform for a party being held on the online video-conferencing platform Zoom, “We didn’t…
Torah
What makes the 'Great Shabbat' so great?
The Torah column is supported by a generous donation from Eve Gordon-Ramek. Shabbat HaGadol Tzav Leviticus 6:1-8:36 The Shabbat before Passover is called…