Author: Rafael Hope 
How much money should you give for the upcoming Bar Mitzvah?
The million-dollar question (pun intended)…
… What’s too much money? What’s too little?
… Can you give a Bar Mitzvah or Bat Mitzvah gift instead?
… And what’s the deal with the whole “multiple of 18” thing?
Don’t worry, this article will get rid of all your confusion…
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In Jewish tradition, the Havdalah ceremony marks the final stage of the holy Sabbath. During the ceremony, Jews light a candle and recite a blessing – where they conclude the end of the previous week – thanking God for providing them with a sacred day of rest in between “regular” days and welcoming the week ahead.
Even though a Havdalah ceremony can technically be conducted with a candle and a glass of wine, most Jews use a dedicated Havdalah kit to perform the ceremony.
In this guide, our editors hand-picked some of their favorite Havdalah sets they found on the internet. From minimalistic Havdalah sets that are designed to just get the job done, to artistic Havdalah sets that you can gift to someone for a special occasion… in this guide you will find it all!
Let’s have a look, shall we?
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Time to enjoy your Shabbat dinner together with the family… can you pass the Hummus, please?
HOLD IT! Aren’t you forgetting something?
Kiddush comes first, silly! Go ahead and pour the wine into the Kiddush cup (make sure you fill the cup to the end)!
What’s that? You don’t have a Kiddush cup? What a coincidence! I just happened to create a huge list of beautiful, modern Kiddush cups!
OK, OK, enough with the silly jokes :). Let’s go find you a lovely Jewish wine cup, shall we?
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The idea of getting your son his first Tefillin (and Tallit) set sounds exciting at first… That is, until you start diving into the Tefillin rabbit hole and realize that buying a Tefillin for your son’s Bar Mitzvah is more complicated, expensive, and confusing than you initially thought.
No wonder people are caught off guard when they’re in the market for a Tefillin set…
That’s precisely why I wrote this Tefillin buying guide: to help you clear the smoke, arm you with everything you need to know about buying a Tefillin, and even help you a great and affordable Tefillin set – whether you’re buying it for a Bar Mitzvah, for yourself, or for a synagogue.
Sound good?
Let’s get started!
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Amen V'Amen is supported by its audience. That means when you purchase something from one of our partners through one of our links, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Amen V'Amen is also an Amazon Associate, so we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases. Thank you for your support!
Etrog – the famous yellow citron Jews use during Sukkot – is the “richest” (and most expensive) of the Four Species.
And I’m not just talking rich in taste (Etrog Jam anyone?), but also rich in cost.
The question is: how do you protect such an important Jewish symbol?
Don’t worry, there’s no need to call the Secret Service or anything like that… an Etrog box would do just fine (it might even take a bullet for the Etrog).
Etrog boxes are special containers (often made of silver) that Jews use to protect the Etrog during Sukkot. Not only are Judaic Etrog boxes one of the most popular Sukkot gifts people bring to the Sukkah, but many of them also turn into Jewish heirlooms passed along through the generations (particularly the silver and sterling silver Etrog boxes).
You’ll even notice that some of them look like treasure chests taken from straight King Solomon’s castle, so it’s no wonder…
Don’t believe me? See for yourself…
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Amen V'Amen is supported by its audience. That means when you purchase something from one of our partners through one of our links, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Amen V'Amen is also an Amazon Associate, so we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases. Thank you for your support!
Sukkot – the holiday where we leave our cushy home and dwell for 7 days in a Sukkah (don’t worry, you’re still allowed inside the house during that time… unless you did something naughty).
We eat, sleep and decorate our Sukkah for the Jewish feast of Tabernacles (or the feast of booths) – just as our Jewish forefathers did during the Exodus.
But what if we’re invited to someone else’s Sukkah? Well then… whether you’re planning to sleep in their backyard or you’re just invited for a meal, one thing is for sure: you should NEVER arrive empty-handed.
Now that we got that clear… the only thing left to do is… find a unique gift for Sukkot!
Let’s begin…
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Amen V'Amen is supported by its audience. That means when you purchase something from one of our partners through one of our links, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Amen V'Amen is also an Amazon Associate, so we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases. Thank you for your support!
Let’s be honest: not having your own Sukkah on Sukkot sucks.
You walk around the neighborhood and see your Jewish friends & neighbors all chilling in their Sukkah, having a good time…
You think to yourself: “Damn, I wish I had built my own Sukkah”…
How about we avoid that feeling, shall we?
Now, you may be wondering…
The answer to ALL of these questions (including the last one): No.
You see, up until a few years ago, I thought that building a Kosher Sukkah (aka a “Jewish tent”) was a huge chore, so I never bothered trying…
But then one year I mustered the courage and decided: “What the hell, let’s give it a shot. How hard can it be?”.
Turns out – VERY hard – if you’re building one yourself from scratch. But VERY easy – if you’re using a Sukkah kit.
If you’ve got the right Sukkah building kit – it can literally save you hours (if not days) of total frustration.
Turns out, with the right kit, building a Sukkah is not that different than building Legos. And I trust you can handle legos, yes? Good – then you can handle building a Sukkah, even if you’ve never built one.
Now, the only question is you: How do you find the right Sukkah?
Whether you’re looking for an affordable Sukkah or an easy-to-assemble Sukkah kit, the answer is the same: right here, right now.
Let’s begin…
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Tuuuuuu (Tekiah).
Tuuu-tuuu-tuuu-tuuu (Teruah).
Tu-tu-tu-tu-tu-tu-tu-tu (Shevarim).
(Don’t worry, my finger didn’t get stuck on the keyboard)
Any Jewish person who has ever attended the synagogue during the high holy days recognizes these sounds: indeed, it is the sound (or rather, a verbal representation) of the Shofar – the famous Jewish horn played during Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
What you probably didn’t know, however, is that there are over a dozen Shofar types out there, most of which you have never even seen (let alone heard) in your entire life… (I know, right?)
In this Shofar guide – not only will I reveal every single one of them, but I will also show you exactly where and how to get them!
Excited? You should be… We’re gonna have a blast! (see what I did there?)
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Another year has passed… can you believe it?
It seems like last year’s Rosh Hashanah was just yesterday, yet here we are again!
Well, what are you waiting for? Go grab a seat at the dinner table… on the menu: Gefilte Fish, Apple & Honey, and some fish head. Mmmm sounds yummy (not)!
HOLD IT. Aren’t you forgetting something?
Don’t tell me you’re planning to arrive at a Rosh Hashanah dinner table empty-handed? Oy vey… Big mistake!
You better load up on a few Rosh Hashanah gifts for your loved ones, quick… Or else, you may wake up next to a fish head with your name on it (you know, mafia-style)!
Just kidding… (but seriously – don’t you dare arrive to a Rosh Hashanah dinner empty-handed )
Let’s cut to the chace: if you’re looking for an appropriate present to can bring to a Rosh Hashanah dinner table – then hold your horses apples, honey bee… Because this gift guide is buzzing with unique Rosh Hashanah gift ideas!
When you look at most parents planning their kid’s Bar/Bat Mitzvah… what do you see?
Poor folks, no wonder they’re so stressed.
But you know what’s funny (read: sad)?
When you ask them: “how’s the Bar/Bat Mitzvah preparation coming along?” – they’ll usually put on a nice (fake) smile and utter something like: “everything is going GREAT!”.
But you don’t have to be a shrink to realize: everything is NOT great.
The poor parents are racing against the clock, jumping from one phone call to the next, trying to plan a wonderful Bar/Bat Mitzvah party for their child, without falling apart.
Unfortunately, they’re fighting an uphill battle. They’re worried. They’re afraid they’ll let their family down…
Is planning a Bar/Bat Mitzvah supposed to be this stressful? (hint: no)
What are they doing wrong?
Let me answer with Winston Churchill’s famous quote:
“He who fails to plan is planning to fail”.
I constantly see parents fail to plan their kid’s Bar/Bat Mitzvah. And boy do they suffer the consequences:
Parents – let’s avoid that trap, shall we? Because unlike what pharmaceutical companies would like us to believe – prevention is always the best cure.
So today, I’ll show you…scratch that. I’ll GIVE YOU the exact steps, tools, and resources you need to plan an unforgettable Bar or Bat Mitzvah, without losing your mind in the process…
Sound good?
Great, let’s begin…
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