Top of page
Posted by: Rachel Gordon
This year, Hanukkah runs from December 18th to 26th. The winter festival of lights celebrates the 2nd century B.C. victory of the Jewish Maccabees over the Greco-Syrian King Antiochus and his forces. When the Jews sought to rededicate the temple in Jerusalem, the remaining one day’s supply of sacred oil miraculously lasted for a full …
Posted in: Cooking, Holidays & Celebrations
Posted by: Rachel Gordon
The winter holidays are almost here! If you can’t face any more shopping, prefer to make gifts, or would simply like to brighten someone’s day, this post has suggestions for last-minute treats you can whip up yourself. Homemade candy is a welcome seasonal confection that’s perfect to share. It’ll mean a trip to the grocery …
Posted in: Cooking, Holidays & Celebrations
Posted by: Rachel Gordon
Growing up, having an Advent calendar was a fun part of my family’s holiday celebrations. Opening up a little cardboard door or window each morning from December 1st added a nice sense of anticipation and a handy visual countdown to how many days were left until Christmas. Later, my own children invariably squabbled over who …
Posted in: Activities & Crafts
Posted by: Rachel Gordon
“October is the apple-scented month… Apples into boxes, into baskets, apples in transit; gold and scarlet pyramids and in the market place….Apples for bowls, apples for lunchboxes.” These lines from a 1959 newspaper column perfectly sum up the sight in stores, farmers’ markets, orchards and roadsides at this time of year. Apples are everywhere. There …
Posted in: Cooking
Posted by: Rachel Gordon
From its earliest days in the late 18th century, hot air ballooning caught the public imagination. Large crowds watched balloon flights, and aeronauts became celebrities. All balloonists were incredibly brave. Risking injury and even death with every ascent only added to their glamour and fame. The fliers, inventors and scientists involved in early balloon flights …
Posted in: Science, Technology & Math
Posted by: Rachel Gordon
A fascination with flight dates back millennia. The allure of the air is evident in the mythological story of Icarus, the designs of Leonardo da Vinci and in the long history of kite flying. The Wright brothers are world famous as the inventors of the first successful plane. What’s less well known is how other …
Posted in: Science, Technology & Math
Posted by: Rachel Gordon
We’ve reached the stage of the summer when camps are winding down, friends may be out of town, the weather is really hot and sticky – and those dreaded words “I’m bored!” ring out. So how to fill the last few weeks before school starts without resorting to too much screen time? Parents and caregivers, …
Posted in: Activities & Crafts