The Jewish Catalog Turns Fifty

Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to The Jewish Catalog,. How old are you now?

This year The Jewish Catalog: a do-it-yourself kit reached the venerable age of fifty — right smack in middle age.  When most of us reach that age, we show signs that we have arrived: some gray at our temples, a few wrinkles, maybe even a desire for a midday nap. But a fifty-year-old is hardly over the hill these days and may look forward to some of his or her best years. Continue reading

Cool Down with Soup

When we think of cold soup , we most often call to mind a bright tomatoey gazpacho or a silky smooth vicysoisse. Gazpacho is technically a blend of raw vegetables including tomatoes,cucumber, bell peppers, often bread and spices. A simplified version was most likely brought to the Iberian Peninsula of Spain by the Romans and then given a local twist. It is simple and quick to make and has endless variations.

Today blended fruit soups, sometimes including tomatoes, are also called gazpacho. Continue reading

New CAJE is coming

New CAJE is coming to Montclair State for the 2nd time. There are no animals but there is a plethora of stimulating educational sessions from Sunday, July 15 through Wednesday, July 19.

What is New CAJE? The website calls New CAJE ”the premier professional development conference for Jewish educators. Each year 400+ educators gather for four days of learning, entertainment, prayer, and networking opportunities.” Check out the sessions on the website: www.newcaje.org Continue reading

Musical Legacy

Some say that along with jazz the most important contribution the United States has made to the musical world is in musical theater.

With the recent  death of Sheldon Harnick at age 99, the creators (many of whom were Jews) of classic American musicals like Fiddler on the Roof, West Side Story, and South Pacific are gone. But they leave a legacy of hundreds of works that have entertained generations. Almost daily one of these classic shows is being performed somewhere in the world by a school or a theater group.

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It’s PRIDE Month

Although each of us should be proud of who we are every month of the year, June is officially PRIDE month, celebrating and supporting the LGBTQ+ population.

Jewish literature has always dealt with the issues of the day: Heather Has two Mommies (1989) by Jewish writer Leslea Newman was a breakthrough book for young children. In an updated edition, it is still a go to book for the intended audience. Continue reading

MESH Report May 23, 2023

It’s sad to say that in recent weeks the request for meals from MESH which supples meals to the food insecure population off Montclair has risen from 30 to 50 per week.

Today’s team of Co-chairs Aileen Grossberg and Lynne Kurzweil, ably assisted by faithful volunteer Susan Rosenblatt, valiantly produced 50 tasty, filling meals. Our wonderful custodian Carlos helped us leave the kitchen as spotless as it was when we began.

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Books Bloom for Jewish American Heritage Month

April flowers bring May flowers like the beautiful irises at Presby Garden and flowering trees that grace Montclair streets and front yards. Short Story Month, Mental Health Awareness Month, and Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month as well as a plethora of other daily, weekly and monthly celebrations of special interests from the ridiculous to the sublime all occur in May.

You might not know it, but it’s also Jewish American Heritage Month. Every year since 2006, May has been recognized in Congress, by the president and by public institutions as a time to celebrate and educate about Jewish American history and achievement. Continue reading