Spring has sprung in Israel, marked by almond blossoms and Tu Bishvat The Jewish holiday of Tu Bishvat begins as the sun sets on the 7th of February 2012. This holiday has its origins in some ecologically-focused passages in the…
In honor of the last day of Hannukah, the Yesh Meain permaculture farm will be hosting an all-day permaculture celebration. Links are often found between Jewish holidays and the environment, and environmentally-minded organizations in Israel try to find eco-friendly ways…
Sustainable designer Aya Tager will teach upcycling workshops this month so that the lighting miracle of Hannukah can continue beyond the holiday’s 8 days. The Jewish holiday of Hannukah celebrates the miracle of a single day’s supply of oil lasting…
Jerusalem belches out its untreated waste to area of beauty, holy sites Mohammed Nakhal is normally a calm man, but he’s seething now. The stench of raw sewage is overpowering. It is rushing by, down the biblical Kidron Valley through…
Often-ridiculed craft with ancient Middle Eastern roots serves as gentle conduit to change. It’s pretty much agreed that the origins of knitting are placed somewhere in the Middle East. The craft spread to Europe via Mediterranean trade routes, then on to the…
Made by artisans who receive fair wages while upcycling metal products, this bike chain menorah is sustainable for people and the environment. In our recent survey of sustainably designed Hannukah menorahs, we featured menorahs (and other light fixtures) made locally…
Can’t find your old Hannukah menorah? Israeli designers come up with clever alternatives. With the Jewish Hannukah holiday only a few weeks away, many Jews in the Middle East and elsewhere are anxiously waiting to eat sufganiot (jelly doughnuts) and…
Yearning for a sufganyah, but horrified at all that oil? Try this tasty alternative. While the menorah sheds its festive light, the family gathers at the table, noshing on traditional foods like sufganyot. You know sufganyot. Those brown disks of…
The Festival of Lights gives spiritual and historical messages. This year, add a green message to the lights. Hannukah falls on December 20th this year. Among the laws of lighting the menorah – one of the Hannukah traditions that Jews…
You may be eating a dead person’s hair in your commercially-baked bread. Watch out for L-cysteine if you’re queasy. It’s name is inconspicuous enough, not something that would make the average consumer squirm as they read the ingredients label on…
