Today is National S’mores Day, set to recognize America’s most popular campfire treat, first made famous in the 1927 edition of the American Girl Scouts Handbook, “Tramping and Trailing with the Girl Scouts.” The word s’more comes from “some more,” the original name for the sweet, crunchy dessert. By 1927, few of the world’s marshmallows contained any mallow, at all. Manufacturers had replaced the plant’s root, which takes over a day to dry, with gelatin—commonly made from the dried bones and skins of non-kosher animals—in the late 1800s to speed up manufacturing, creating a conundrum for observant American Jews. According to one halakhic source, the skin of a calf’s stomach was permissible to use for cheese rennet once it had completely dried, and unkosher bones that had been completely dried would not render food unkosher, indicating that typical gelatin—consisting of completely dry skin and bones—might also be kosher. However, [...]

Today is International Day of the World’s Indigenous People, first established in 1994 by the United Nations to celebrate more than 400 million indigenous people spread over 90 countries throughout the world. From the Lakota dwelling in the United States of America, to the Maya of Guatemala, to the Saami of northern Europe, to the Maori of New Zealand, and more, the traditions of the world’s indigenous peoples often possess wisdom of significant value to their nation-state neighbors, ranging from spiritual teachings to food self-sufficiency to coexistence with the earth. In fact, indigenous peoples are currently the guardians of roughly 80% of the world’s remaining biodiversity, showcasing how indigenous traditions can teach us to care for the world’s plant and animal life. The Lakota have an interesting perspective on peace. Like our Israelite and Judean ancestors, they were constantly harassed by industrially- and technologically-potent invaders, who made and broke [...]

As our minds and bodies recover from the fast of the Ninth of Av, our tradition turns its gaze toward the future. Beginning this Shabbat, Jews throughout the world will enjoy seven weeks of haftarot (leading all the way to Rosh Hashanah) from the prophet Isaiah designed to provide comfort and resolve in the face of catastrophe.This Saturday, the first Shabbat featuring one of these comforting haftarot, is known as Shabbat Nachamu—the Shabbat of Comfort—taken from the first words of the haftarah, which states:.נַחֲמ֥וּ נַחֲמ֖וּ עַמִּ֑י יֹאמַ֖ר אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם“‘Comfort, oh comfort My people,’ says your God.” (Isaiah 40:1)The passage seeks to comfort the Jews exiled by the destruction of the first Temple by describing Divine might and promising redemption for those who place their faith in God. In a provocative verse, the prophet questions those Jews, mired in the misery of their exile, who have lost hope.הֲל֤וֹא תֵֽדְעוּ֙ הֲל֣וֹא תִשְׁמָ֔עוּ הֲל֛וֹא הֻגַּ֥ד מֵרֹ֖אשׁ לָכֶ֑ם הֲלוֹא֙ [...]