There may not have been any concept of Bar or Bat Mitzvah in 10th century Kiev 'yet, ' but that wouldn't stop the nearly grown children of the Kagan of the Khazars from arranging the appropriate rite of passage and blessing for the changing of the societies around them which they knew-the pagan Vikings, Rus, and Pechenegs surrounding Kiev, the Volga Finnic peoples of the Urals, the eternal Silk Road, Christian Byzantium to the south, the Caucasus Mountaineers, the grassland steppes, the rabbi-scholars of Constantinople and Spain, the Turks arriving from Central Asia, and the Islamic Caliphate of Persia and Baghdad to the East. Each encounter began a new concept and framework for their time-travel adventures. The garden of the Khazars is a storyteller's paradise, especially during the time that their ruler's family, friends, and associates turned Jewish, and the Kagan of the Khazars got tied up in the belly of a Viking Ship, rescued by his thirteen-year-old son, and his daughter, the teenage, time-traveling Princess Tarbagatay rode between the fourth and tenth centuries with the Queen of the Steppes. Welcome to anthropology through fiction and my series for all storytellers on tall tales of Medieval Khazaria. Let my first person proto-Bar or Bat Mitzvah gift story book novel, although fiction, guide you through the walkways of anthropology and ethnology in my Kagan's Kids of Khazaria Time-Travel Adventures, the perfect book for a Mitzvah gift for thirteen to fifteen-year old readers and also for their parents. As an author of multicultural and multiethnic novels that reveal the nuances of anthropology through fiction-stories, novels, and plays-let this novel and the treat that follows be your mentor to open doors to new opportunities, choices, roads, and destinations.

Make the world a better place through good deeds—big or small. "Thank you, really, for devoting your energies to making the world just a little bit better. By doing so, you are saying to yourself, and to others, that this whole Bar/Bat Mitzvah thing is real and important. And, this book will help you figure out great ways to put your own passions, interests, and hobbies to work for mitzvah." —from the Foreword Are you searching for a meaningful and fun mitzvah project? This inspiring book is packed with ideas to help you connect something you love to a mitzvah project or tikkun olam initiative that you can be passionate about. It is filled with information, ideas and activities to spark your imagination, as well as a planning guide to get you organized and off to a good start. Creativity and Compassion Arts & Crafts • Clothes & Fashion • Computers & Technology • Food & Cooking • Movies & Drama • Reading & Writing Putting Mitzvot in Motion Animals • Camp • Fitness • Health • Music & Dance • Sports Your World, Our World Environment • Family • Friends, Neighbors & Your Community • Global Community • Israel • Your Jewish Heritage

Adorable puppy Mitzi visits a nursing home where she helps the residents celebrate Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New year.

Worst Bat Mitzvah Gift Ever is a funny, softcover journal sure to make everyone smile. Details 6" x 9" - great size for desk, purse, backpack or suitcase. 110 Pages of high-quality paper. Professional glossy cover. Can be used as a diary, journal, notebook, list journal or to-do book. This funny notebook makes a great gift idea.

During the fall leading up to her bat mitzvah, Tara (Hindi for “star”) Feinstein has a lot more than her Torah portion on her mind. Between Hebrew school and study sessions with the rabbi, there doesn’t seem to be enough time to hang out with her best friend Ben-O—who might also be her boyfriend—and her other best friend, Rebecca, who’s getting a little too cozy with the snotty Sheila Rosenberg. Not to mention working on her robotics project with the class clown Ryan Berger, or figuring out what to do with a priceless heirloom sari that she accidentally ruined. Amid all this drama, Tara considers how to balance her Indian and Jewish identities and what it means to have a bat mitzvah while questioning her faith. With the cross-cultural charm of Bend It Like Beckham, this delightful debut novel is a classic coming-of-age story and young romance with universal appeal. Praise for My Basmati Bat Mitzvah "In my opinion, My Basmati Bat Mitzvah shows that everyone is different in their own way and some get the advantage of being culturally diverse. I rate the book 5 stars!" —Shivani Desai, age 13 STARRED REVIEW "The latest spunky heroine of South Asian–Jewish heritage to grace middle-grade fiction, Tara Feinstein, 12, charms readers from the get-go in this strong, funny debut." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review "Tara’s inquisitiveness, openness, and determination to chart her own path stand out in this warm story of family, faith and the ways people are unique yet intertwined." —Publishers Weekly "With a conversational and authentic tween voice, Tara invites readers into her world as she explores the larger issues of faith, compassion, and tradition while confronting the awkwardness that is puberty—her questions regarding God are poignant and relatable while her opinions on training bras are simply spot-on..." —The Bulletin of The Center for Children’s Books "Authors often mention but then shrink from exploring in depth their characters’ mixed religious heritage; it’s a sensitive subject that demands close scrutiny. Freedman bucks that trend, avoiding didacticism by portraying broader issues through Tara’s personality and unique circumstances. As Tara learns in this skillful exploration, an important source of her special strengths—questioning spirit, empathy and strong ethical compass—is her mixed heritage." —The Jewish Daily Forward "This story will have resonance for many children of many faiths at the cusp of religious adulthood." —Booklist "As she makes her way through these challenges, she learns a great deal about friendship, family, and heritage. Freedman handles the ethnic and religious diversity of Tara’s family and friends with a light touch, but doesn’t shrink from exploring some of the complexities of a dual heritage." —School Library Journal "This book’s well-drawn characters bring two colorful cultures to vibrant life. The contemporary urban setting, cast with touches of humor and romance, frame mature ideas of peer and self-acceptance in a familiar, lighthearted world. Middle grade girls will readily befriend Tara and pick up new cultural understanding." —Library Media Connection

Delve deeper into spiritual practice to find the power and meaning waiting there for you. “Spiritual practice reveals that the Garden of Eden is right where you are standing and helps you to be here, now. Therefore, Jewish spiritual practices cultivate joy, hope, resilience and understanding so that you can undertake your soul’s work in this lifetime with vision, passion and integrity.” from the Introduction This innovative guidebook makes accessible Judaism’s spiritual pathways, principles and applications, and empowers you to test their value within your own life. Each chapter provides step-by-step, recipe-like guides to a particular Jewish practice or group of practices, gives examples of how they might unfold inside your life, and shows how each can help refuel your spirit throughout the day. You’ll discover: Prayer practices for embracing the body and creation with awe, limbering up your mind, and preparing for compassionate action How to draw sustenance from the Great Mystery, the inexplicable and unknowable Source of Life How to mine the Torah’s stories, commentaries, symbols and metaphors for meaning Ways to develop your Hebrew vocabulary so you can formulate your own interpretations of sacred text How to explore and practice mitzvot as meaningful, compelling parts of your spiritual life How to view the Jewish people as a precious human resource and as a model for resilience ... and much, much more.

Authoritative and personal, this is an introduction to all aspects of a traditional Jewish Shabbat, providing both an inspirational call to observe this weekly holiday and a comprehensive resource.