The annual events we’ve commemorated and celebrated over the past couple of weeks -beginning with Passover and extending through Holocaust Memorial Day, Memorial Day, and Independence Day – all bring to mind the question of who we are, and where we come from. If you’ve thought about the idea of putting together a family tree or just wanted to know more about your roots, the Internet can be a great friend. Here are some tips on where to look for information, and how to peel away the layers of the …

The 9th day of Av, known as the fast of Tisha B’av, has been, historically, a bad day for the Jews. Tisha B’Av is, of course a sad day because it commemorates the destruction of not one,but two Holy Temples, and presaged our loss of national independence and descent into exile.

Tisha B’av got its bad rep way back when the Jews cried over the evil report of the spies who had gone to the Land of Israel for undercover espionage work. Ever since then, the day has been appointed …

It’s been a heavy couple of weeks on the Jewish calendar – Passover, Yom Hashoa, Israel’s Memorial Day, and of course the 60th Independence Day celebration (we’re not going to forget that one anytime soon!). From Passover, with its celebration of ancient traditions to Holocaust Remembrance Day, commemorating the nation’s modern-day tremendum, to this week’s reflection on the sacrifices made by our soldiers and the showcasing of how far we’ve come in a mere six decades, we’ve reviewed and at least partially experienced thousands of years of Jewish life. It …