Gary Rosenberg is in great demand as a baal koreh, someone who reads the weekly Torah portion, in Englewood’s shuls and backyard minyanim. “I was first asked to lain in shul in 1980. As there are 54 parshas, I thought I’d add one a year and complete the Torah by 2030,” he said. “But over time, additional

In a normal year, anyone planning a spring simcha would have the details locked in by now. But normal is still in the future. Although the pandemic is inching towards being controlled, event organizers and their clients are grappling with regulations that are changing daily and differ by state and country, making

When weddings and bar mitzvahs “as we knew them” resume, families might find themselves sitting at a reception and marveling at the talents of a certain singer who movingly sings Dror Yikra, Oseh Shalom and other classics.

Audiences might not be surprised to see that the singer intuitively

When a Jewish child comes of age, the show must go on, despite a pandemic or inclement weather. There’s a milestone birthday to acknowledge; for a boy there’s a parsha to lein. The big party of yesteryear is not yet on the agenda, but there are many beautiful ways to celebrate becoming a bar or bat

In addition to the date of birth according to the “regular,” or secular, calendar, we each have a birthday that corresponds to the Hebrew calendar. Visit https://www.aish.com/jl/l/ms/47139952.html?s=nbto find out when your Hebrew birthday is.

Podcasts are all the rage these days. Whether you’re cooking, running or driving, a good podcast is always the way to go. I’ve listened to podcasts for years, but I recently came across a new show that piqued my interest: the Jewish Wedding Podcast. I got a behind-the-scenes look at a thriving videography company,

Dov Katz is on the phone constantly with couples calling to book his bands, Krohma Music, OnKore and Sozo Live, for spring and summer weddings. “I think spring and summer will be crazy,” he said. “Couples who got engaged in September, or are getting engaged now, are waiting until they can go back outside.

I recently gave birth (yay!) during an unprecedented pandemic (boo!). Despite the craziness of giving birth, having a kid in and out of quarantine, and not having any family fly in because of travel restrictions, I still felt love and support from the people in my family and community. This came from some in the form of well wishes and

This month, Bonei Olam has launched a new initiative that will give parents a digital way to announce their simchas with friends and family. Called Simchat Olam with a website at simchatolam.org, any person in the world can now easily announce the birth of a new child or share details about a bris or baby naming to any recipients

Bergenfield-based musician Binyomin Ginzberg has been fascinated by the chasidish wedding custom known as the Mitsve Tants since childhood, when he attended the weddings of many chasidish relatives with hours-long Mitsve Tantsen. Over the years, he has spent many hours learning the music and playing the

Must simchas take a time out from December to March? No, says event planner Rena Soclof. Barring a storm or below-freezing temps, there are ways to make winter events safe, comfortable and warm. Flexibility is paramount.

Tents have the starring role in pandemic simchas, providing cover and

The Bat Mitzvah Plus program at Congregation Ahavath Torah will begin its sixth season next week. Freidi Hyman, program director, said the curriculum she has created over the years for the seven sessions blends learning, discussion and hands-on activities. While some of the logistics will have to be