Lara Dvora Berman

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Jul 16, 2014, 9:12 AM

Dance in the Face of Hate

Get ready for dancing! We need it, don’t we? What other people besides the Jews have the audacious spirit to sing and dance in the face of hate and terrorism? This instinct to unite in song and dance contrasts...

Jul 14, 2014, 1:22 PM

You are an Ambassador, Like It or Not

When I started this blog, I intended to keep it apolitical. Obviously, I love Israel, but I thought I'd leave it at that – spread the ♥ ahava ♥ without getting into the politics of it all. I wanted...

May 29, 2014, 2:00 PM

Israel Nail Art

I'm late to the nail art party but making up for lost time. Till now, it never captured my imagination. Dotty flowers and flourishes aren't my style. But recently, I've come across manicure masterpieces! These 10 baby canvases can...

May 28, 2014, 10:08 AM

Jerusalem: There’s No Place Like Home

I'm headed to Israel this weekend. Eeeeee! I can hardly think about anything else. My countdown has begun. I start my trip in Jerusalem, a city I was privileged to live in several years ago. Although spiritual, I'm not the...

May 5, 2014, 11:35 AM

Blue Ombre Birthday Cake for Israel

Happy Birthday, Israel! And…happy birthday to me. I am so excited and honored that this year my birthday coincides with Yom Ha’Atzmaut, Israel’s independence day. So obviously, I made us a blue and white cake. To Israelify this white cake,...

Apr 29, 2014, 7:37 PM

Holocaust Remembrance Day: A 3G Recap

Those who do not know history are doomed to repeat it. –Edmund Burke I am the grandchild of survivors. We’re called ‘3Gs,’ third-generation survivors. My grandparents’ heroic stories live on in me. My grandmother survived the death camps of Auschwitz &...

Apr 27, 2014, 12:09 PM

3 Holidays Tell a Love Story

First Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day. Next Yom HaZikaron, Israel’s Memorial Day. Then Yom HaAtzmaut, Israel’s Independence Day. The order and proximity of these events to one another isn’t just stam, per chance or random. One informs the next, showing us the...

Apr 17, 2014, 9:51 AM

A Jewish Definition of Freedom

A contemporary definition of freedom, according to magazines and ads might be chocolate without consequences, bungee jumping, or abandoning work responsibilities for a trip to Mykonos. If you ask the Kardashians, they would say true freedom is the ability to...

Apr 14, 2014, 9:48 AM

The Untold Story of Passover

No one ever taught me the “behind the scenes” story of Passover at my Sunday school. The main theme of the Pesach tale was always freedom from slavery—as in, escaping from Pharaoh. But as explained in last week’s post,...

Apr 9, 2014, 12:36 PM

6 Suggestions for a more Spiritual Seder

Because my family and I live in different states, others have generously extended their Pesach tables to me over the years. In this way, I’ve gotten the chance to see lots of Seder styles. Some have been fun and...

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About Me

After many years as a broadcast and print journalist, I’ve started this blog, "Joyish" to share my brand of Judaism. I don’t take myself too seriously, but I crave meaning and for me, Judaism provides it. Living Joyishly makes life sweeter, deeper, more fun and meaningful. I don’t pretend to be a rabbi or the most religious person in the world, but I’ve chosen my teachers with care and if something here inspires you, run with it, and make the world brighter wherever you go. ♥, Lara Dvora