If you feel a pull to live in Israel – or anywhere in the world for that matter – the first and obvious thing to do is to actually go there and spend some time! It is very easy to have a romanticized notion of what another place is like without having spent real time there in the nitty-gritty reality of everyday life (and by “real” I mean a minimum of several months, not a two-week visit). There are many study and volunteer programs in Israel where you could spend a summer or even a semester.

“Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day; I also and my maidens will fast in like manner; and so will I go into the king, which is not according to the law; and if I perish, I perish” (Esther 4:16). So responded Esther to her uncle Mordechai when he requested that she present herself, unbidden, before King Achashverosh.

Women love activities. It’s a known fact. I’m not sure if it’s the child in us, but we love dates that involve any sort of activity. A pottery making class sure isn’t your normal first date idea, but it definitely is fun. It enables you to be hands on and also gives you some insight into what type of person your date is.

Bashert, which in Yiddish means “predestined,” is most commonly applied to the concept of one’s intended soul-mate. This idea that, when dating, one is searching for his/her bashert, his/her divinely intended life partner, stems from Sotah 2a, which states: “Forty days before the creation of a child, a Heavenly Voice issues forth and proclaims: ‘The daughter of A is for B.’”

Those who first hear about the custom of Purim costumes might assume that the tradition began as an imitation of Halloween. Research, however, places the origin of Halloween costumes in the 18th century, while Purim disguises are mentioned in rabbinic texts as far back as the 13th century.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to spend an evening with a matchmaker and watch them work their magic in a crowd? I recently had this opportunity with matchmaker Janis Spindel in …

“The one and only thing that kept me on the site is the reminder that all I needed was one person…I just needed one spark with one guy.  So for that and so much more, I am forever grateful to 100hookup!”

Kale can also be an amazing snack that must be tried to be believed. The kale becomes crispy in the oven and takes on the flavor of the olive oil. The crunch chips are addicting and really good for you.

The climax of the Shabbat morning service is the Torah reading, which is often accompanied by great ceremony and beautiful chants. It is also an “interactive” ritual, since numerous congregants are involved. In contrast to this ceremony of great fanfare is the Torah reading of Shabbat Mincha (afternoon service).

Look at your photos as a way to communicate positive things about yourself – things like the fact you have loving family and friends, and that you are engaged in the world around you, etc. If you don’t have any pictures that do this, get your camera and a girlfriend and find a way to make some! Fortunately, in this age of digital photography, getting good post-able photos is easy to do.