But that was not the way it was always celebrated.

Thousands of years ago, our sages had their own way of dealing with “the shidduch crisis:” single girls went out to dance in the vineyards on Tu b’Av, dressed in borrowed white dresses. They had to be borrowed so that it would not be a fashion/beauty contest and no one would know if a girl was rich or poor from her dress. Eligible young men would watch them to see if they were interested in meeting one of them.

The Talmud described Tu b’Av as the greatest festival of the year (#2 is Yom Kippur). But why did they pick that particular date for this festival?

Several important events occurred on that date.

1. The Jews were finally permitted to bury their dead, slaughtered by the Romans after the Bar Kochba rebellion at Beitar. These dead bodies had lain in the field in the boiling hot sun for over a year but miraculously had remained intact, and none had decomposed.
2. After the sin of the spies, the adult male Jews had been destined to die and not enter the Land of Israel. Each year they were told to dig their own grave on erev Tisha B’Av and lay down to sleep there. Those who did not wake up the next morning were buried. One year, everyone arose the next morning. The Jews thought that perhaps they had made a mistake in the date so they went to sleep the following night in their ‘graves.’ They did this every night until Tu b’Av six days later. When everyone arose they knew that the decree was over and all of them would be able to enter the Land of Israel. This was, of course, a great cause for celebration.
3. When the Land was originally divided between the tribes, no intermarriage between the tribes was allowed. This was to ensure that the size of each inherited piece of land remained intact and was not altered by women marrying out of their tribe, thereby transferring their portion to their husbands. Once they entered the Land of Israel, it was physically portioned and no further changes would be made from then onwards. So this ban was lifted…and the date on which this occurred was Tu b’Av.

Now in 2026 there is a more modern, digital approach to finding your bashert, the one you were intended to marry. There are myriad Jewish online dating sites, but not everyone feels comfortable going on a blind date.

The caricature of the village shadchan (matchmaker) has been the butt of jokes throughout the ages until today. But the truth is the method has been successful throughout our history.

You don’t need any special qualifications. List all the single males and females you can think of together with their ages, religious affiliation, professions, interests, etc. Meet with two or three friends in person, on Zoom, or FaceTime; compare lists and see if any might be suitable to introduce to each other.

That’s all it takes. You don’t have to take responsibility for their suitability or be sure they’ll marry; you are just suggesting they meet.

We are told that when we leave this world we will be asked if we were involved in the mitzvah to “be fruitful and multiply,” the first commandment in the Torah.

Our sages have said that this does not mean actually having children. Not everyone is able to. The commandment is to be involved with shidduchim, to help couples meet.

Aish HaTorah, the organization whose website has introduced Jews all over the world to Jewish wisdom and heritage, has its own system.

Tu b’Av this year is on Wednesday, July 29, and on that date Aish HaTorah will be presenting the biggest speed dating event ever for Jews of all ages and all stripes, anywhere in the world.

If you are still looking for your soulmate, why not give it a try?

The post Tu B’Av: Are You Still Waiting to Meet your Soulmate? appeared first on TC Jewfolk.

It is hard to believe, but 5787 is approaching fast and the High Holidays are right around the corner! Rosh Hashanah is less than two months away; it begins on the evening of September 11th, and erev Yom Kippur is September 21st. 

Family, community, and togetherness are major components of how one spends the High Holidays, but finding and making plans can be challenging for many people.

Every High Holiday season, we help bring together guests and hosts through our matching program. 

Whether you’re new to town, reconnecting after moving back, or searching for your place, Cincy Jewfolk can help you find a space to spend the High Holidays. Our goal is to help build opportunities for folks in our community to find one another so they can spend the holidays in good company. 

“People like me get to complete the rabbinic mitzvah of Haknasat Orchim – welcoming guests and making them feel comfortable, respected, and honored,” said past host Rachel Orzoff.

TC Jewfolk’s High Holiday Matching Program is open now. Whether you’re in search of a table or you are looking to host, fill out our matching form before it closes the morning of August 28th! We will notify you of your matches by Tuesday, September 1st. 

“I was nervous at first, worried about fitting in,” said past guest Monte. “But Gayle and her family made me feel so accepted from the start. It was like finding a new home.”

Seeking a place at a welcoming table for 5787/2026 or ready to include someone at yours? Fill out our matching form:

The post TC Jewfolk’s High Holiday Matching Is Back! appeared first on TC Jewfolk.

This program builds on the already established b’not sherut, who are young women who bring Israeli language and culture into the classroom through support and programming. However, the morim shlichim serve a different purpose, as they are experienced educators with teaching backgrounds. 

Maayan Scholder, Smith Jewish Academy’s Hebrew language coordinator, said, “They either have teaching certificates or were working at a school in Israel, making them familiar with a school environment.” 

The Bitons, Avi and Sigi, will be relocating from Harish, Israel with their three children to become a part of the Smith Jewish Academy.  

“We are not coming just to teach, but first and foremost to learn, listen, and understand your local culture,” said the Bitons in a joint statement via email. “We have heard wonderful things about the warmth, kindness, and cohesion of the Minnesota Jewish community, and it felt like the perfect place for us to find a common language and a new home away from home.”

For Smith Jewish Academy, Hebrew language learning goes beyond basic vocabulary and grammar.

“Hebrew is not just a language,” said Scholder. “We want students to connect to Israel through the language, culture, people, and everyday experiences.”

Scholder continued by saying, “Authenticity is the name of the game. Students can ask questions about daily life, holidays, food, culture, and what it’s really like to live in Israel. We want them to see Hebrew as a living language.”

Both Bitons will teach Hebrew and Jewish Studies. Avi has an educational background in Shelcha, an Israeli program that connects students to their history and heritage through outdoor activities. 

“Our greatest hope is that students will experience and learn about Israel through their feet and through hands-on doing,” said the Bitons. “Israel is not just a theoretical concept or a spot on a map – it is a vibrant, living and creative culture.”

The arrival of the Israeli Bitons is especially important for the Smith Jewish Academy as many Jewish schools are looking to deepen students’ connections to Israel following the Oct. 7 attacks.

“Many of our students have spent the last few years hearing about Israel mostly through the lens of war,” Scholder said. “We want them to understand that Israel is also about people, culture, nature, food, education, and everyday life.”

Scholder believes that bringing Israeli educators into the classroom is the most meaningful way to fulfill said goal. 

“People [in Israel] are still building lives, raising families, teaching, and creating community,” said Scholder. “Bringing people from Israel into our school helps students see that reality and strengthens their connection to the Jewish homeland.”

The Bitons echoed this statement: “We always say that we might be the smallest nation, but we are the largest family.”

The Bitons are currently in the process of moving to Minnesota and will begin teaching at Smith Jewish Academy this fall.

The post Smith Jewish Academy Welcomes Israeli Educators Through Morim Shlichim Program appeared first on TC Jewfolk.

Supporters of the proposal argued that the change would ensure Jewish Minnesotans have a voice and place within the DFL. 

Minnesota DFL Chair Richard Carlbom shared that antisemitism is a pressing issue, while urging the party to support communities facing discrimination.  

“I think at this point in our party, we need to stand up as Democrats and say that Jewish Minnesotans and Somali Minnesotans have a place in the DFL party,” said Carlbom. 

A delegate who opposed the proposal stated, “Based on JCOO’s repeated statements and all the articles I’ve seen in support for Israel, I’m going to say the JCOO mission is exclusive, does not align with the principles or governing rules of the DFL regarding diversity and inclusion.”

JCOO member Gayle Kaplan responded directly to that criticism. 

“The JCOO charter, contrary to what the previous speaker just said, deals only with anti-Jewish, antisemitic behavior here in Minnesota,” said Kaplan. 

JCOO Chair Benjamin Weisbuch echoed this sentiment in an interview. 

“[JCOO] hasn’t taken a position on Israel,” said Weisbuch. “We’ve strategically set Israel aside because we recognize it’s controversial.”

While JCOO has an Israel committee, it was originally established as a means of members educating themselves on the antisemitic resolutions proposed by the DFL convention. 

Weisbuch continued by saying, “We have a wide degree of membership and viewpoints, and all are welcome in the Jewish Caucus.”

Delegates voted on JCOO’s caucus status electronically; it passed by a vote of 245 to 84, with 74.47% in favor and 25.53% against. The electronic vote was called for despite one attendee saying on social media that the vote was “clearly in favor” of the elevation to caucus. The Somali-American Caucus was approved unanimously by a voice vote. 

“A win is a win, and we became a caucus, which is good for the Jewish community and good for our members,” said Weisbuch. “However, almost 30% of the room opposed Jewish people from organizing in the DFL, which is a concern.”

Ultimately, the Jewish Caucus is one of the Minnesota DFL’s recognized community caucuses, giving the group a formal voice within the party. Weisbuch said the work is not done; they hope to continue to educate DFL members about Jewish perspectives. 

“Jewish values inherently are Democratic values,” said Weisbuch. “The emphasis on educating our children, the emphasis on healthcare, the emphasis on nonviolence, the emphasis on repairing the world. These are Jewish values.”

The post Minnesota DFL Approves Jewish Caucus appeared first on TC Jewfolk.

“I was prolifically creative writing whenever I could; overnight, while feeding the baby, typing on my phone,” said Marshall. “I felt really grateful for the support I had in that moment to be able to allow me to like release some of this creative energy that I was feeling.”

The result of the creative burst was Me’ugelet, Marshall’s soon-to-be-released online zine. Me’ugelet is a Hebrew word that means both “she is round” and “she is encircled.”

Marshall said that having space after her second child’s birth, which she didn’t have after her first helped her to be able to reflect more.

“To be able to have creative expression to support us in, kind of navigating through these transformative journeys of pregnancy, birth, postpartum,” she explained. “As I’ve been interacting with folks and sharing that experience of mine, I found so many people could relate, or even kind of mourn or grieve, like ‘I had that feeling and never was able to make space for that and make time for that.’”

Marshall said that she was blown away by the response that her open call for submissions brought.

“So many people were really excited to contribute,” she said. “People all different experiences and journeys. And I felt really excited by offering this platform for the creative energy and the stories that we want to elevate.”

What Me’ugelet offers is a platform for people who aren’t necessarily formal artists. 

“One person was processing birth trauma right after they gave birth. They wrote a poem, and she said, ‘You know, it’s just been sitting here. I didn’t know what to do with this for the last five years, and now that I have somewhere to submit it, I feel like I can finally release and let go of this trauma I’ve been holding onto. Whether or not it gets published.’” Marshall said of one submission that will be in the issue. “It’s a beautiful poem, but I think it just speaks to the power of being able to like people have these stories. We need to share them; there’s something healing about sharing it, and also to read it or receive it and see yourself in that can be really powerful and healing.”

That submission was one of the first Marshall received and she said it brought her to tears – as have so many of the submissions she’s received.

“The breadth and depth of the experiences reflected in these art pieces are amazing,” she said. “I felt really inspired.”

The first issue of Me’ugelet is set to be released in mid-August, in time for the Jewish month of Elul, 

“For Elul, this is a month that we’re leading into the new year, leading into Rosh Hashanah, and it’s a time when there’s in the Jewish calendar where we do a lot of reflection,” Marshall said. “There’s kind of taking an accounting of like the past year and what’s changed, what’s new, how do we want to enter into this newness. And there are so many themes with Rosh Hashanah: The creation of the world that is similar to this pregnancy and creation of a life.”

The first issue has more than 20 contributors from across the United States, as well as Israel and the United Kingdom. Pre-orders are open for the first issue, and Marshall has seen them coming in. Artists are sharing with their networks and Marshall has invited in sponsors – aligned organizations who would “appreciate being connected to the audience,” like the Jewish Fertility Foundation.

“It’s really a full mosaic,” Marshall said of the submissions in the first issue. “Each experience was unique, and that matters. Our Jewish stories about these things matter, and our voices do.”

Marshall is planning the next issue for Nisan – in time for Passover – which Marshall said has symbolism in the splitting of the seas/birth canal parallel.

“Navigating the desert, the wandering of the 40 years can often be likened to the first 40 days after birth – that postpartum period,” she said. “We call it the fourth trimester, where we’re also like searching and wandering and trying to survive. I liked that symbolism as well.”

It’s currently available for pre-order with a “pick your own price” model. Marshall has paid an honorarium to all of the artists and writers in the issue.

“It’s really important to me that the publication is open to folks,” she said. “But 100 percent of [of what people choose to pay] will be funneled to the artist contributors.”

Marshall works as the engagement and education director at Jewish Family and Children’s Service of Minnesota, although this is a side project for her. She has done a lot of at JFCS to create programs and opportunities looking through a Jewish lens at pregnancy, birth and postpartum.

“To invite people into that sense of Jewish connection even before their baby has arrived has been a really meaningful kind of on-ramp into Jewish life and community,” she said.

The creation of the zine fills a void in this topic area. Marshall said she thinks not much had been available because it’s a topic area that many consider more intimate or private.

“There really is so much historical and ancient Jewish wisdom on these pieces, and my sense is that most of that had been kind of passed down in the family or community circles, rather than this kind of public sphere,” she said. “And I think just a lot of our like close circles around that have changed or disappeared, and so we’re needing to build that up a bit more.”

Marshall said that while there is so much Jewish wisdom in this space, the wheel doesn’t need to be recreated.

“We can be contributing to that lineage,” she said. “I love the idea of 200 years from now, someone’s newly pregnant, and they’re like, ‘What’s the Jewish wisdom about this? Where can I go?’ Then they find Me’ugelet as this archive space of what people were feeling and thinking around these topics in 2026.”

The post New Online Publication Embracing Jewish Pregnancy, Birth Journeys appeared first on TC Jewfolk.

Listen to “Rabbi Rebecca Kamil” on Spreaker.

Please subscribe to the Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and more, and don’t forget to rate and review. Check out the show page where you can catch up on previous episodes. And of course, if you have suggestions for others who would be great subjects, let us know!

The post Who The Folk?! Rabbi Rebecca Kamil appeared first on TC Jewfolk.

Five members of Congress – Democrat Angie Craig and Republicans Tom Emmer, Brad Finstad, Michelle Fischbach and Pete Stauber all voted against the bill; Democrat Ilhan Omar voted for it, while the other two Democratic members – Kelly Morrison and Betty McCollum – voted “present.”

The amendment, put forward by Kentucky’s isolationist Rep. Thomas Massie, failed 104 voting in favor, 314 against, and 10 present. 

The vote showed a growing split within the Democratic Party. Massie was the only Republican who voted for the amendment, with 100 Democrats voting for the proposed amendment, including former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries was among the no votes. 

The amendment was tacked onto a 2027 State Department funding and national security bill. If passed, the amendment would have cut off the $3.3 billion in aid sent to Israel. 

McCollum, a long-time critic of the Netanyahu government, said she had “serious concerns” about how broadly the amendment was written.

“As drafted, other foreign assistance—including vital assistance to Palestinians—could be cut off as well,” she said in a statement. For many of my colleagues in the majority, this amendment is just another way for them to carry out President Trump’s isolationist agenda to limit and, in some cases completely cease, US foreign assistance.”

Morrison did not respond to a request for comment.

Steve Hunegs, the executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas, said in a statement that Massie’s amendment was an “indiscriminate funding prohibition” of an American partner that continues to face threats from Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah. The amendment’s language also went beyond military financing.

“It placed Israel-specific humanitarian, scholarship and development programs in jeopardy and created serious risks for joint Israeli-Palestinian peacebuilding and American diplomatic activities,” the statement said. “For example, the Massie amendment could have eliminated $37.5 million for the Nita M. Lowey Middle East Partnership for Peace Act, along with funding for U.S.-Israel Development Cooperation and the Israeli Arab Scholarship Program.

“Any amendment so poorly drafted that it jeopardizes peacebuilding while purporting to advance peace should be rejected.”

“We are deeply disappointed that so many Members chose this vote as the vehicle for expressing their disagreement with the policies of the current Israeli government. Legitimate policy differences deserve serious debate. Instead, this vote reflected how distorted the conversation around Israel and the U.S.-Israel relationship has become in our political discourse,” said the AJC in a statement. 

Democratic lawmakers have been facing increased pressure to cut off funding for Israel by the left wing of the party, and members of the Republican party have faced similar demands from the far right of the party. 

Israel funding became a flashpoint issue after Oct. 7th and the ensuing Israel-Hamas war. This past spring, many progressive candidates won their primaries, basing their campaigns on the topic, with many aiming their ire at AIPAC.

Pelosi said in a statement, “The American people are rightly demanding an end to a perpetual cycle of war, and the Netanyahu government cannot maintain its current course. Therefore, while this amendment is ill-conceived, I vote yes for the message that it sends.”

Critics of the most recent amendment pointed out that it would have also targeted coexistence programs for Israelis and Palestinians. Israel funding is shaping up to be a critical issue for the midterms and likely the upcoming 2028 Presidential election. 

“We have no doubt that similar votes will occur again,” said the AJC. “When they do, we urge Members to focus on policies that strengthen America’s interests, support those seeking a more peaceful future, and advance solutions rather than symbolism.”

The post Majority of MN Congressional Delegation Votes Against Blocking Israel Aid appeared first on TC Jewfolk.

As this final summer of childhood rages on, as I do my best to push back against time, I’ve been hit with some stark realities. Mainly, I’m needed for less and less as the days go by. It’s par for the course, I guess, but it sure doesn’t feel great. 

Hanging out with my 18-year-old now requires a calendar entry – an appointment, per se. Before a recent hang, I asked what he wanted to do. A movie? Dinner? A trip to Top Golf?

No, he said. “Let’s just have a catch.” 

Well, thanks a lot, kid – just take those emotions and really put them through the wringer with those five simple words.

Let’s just have a catch, he said. My G-d. 

The author’s 40-plus year old baseball glove. (courtesy)

So I loaded the car with our gloves and some baseballs. I picked him up from work and we eventually found a baseball field. And there we were – me with my Wilson George Brett model from the 3rd grade – my trusted companion for the last 43 years! 

And the emotion tugger with the custom-made Rawlings I made for him before he was born. It has his name stitched into the side. Funny: no one ever asked me what would have happened if he turned out to be a lefty. 

And then we had a catch. The kid’s arm is not too shabby! I don’t know how long we were throwing, but it was a little hot and I wore the wrong footwear (slides). I was sweaty and my arm was getting tired. I was getting close to calling it, but then I heard a loud rumble in the sky. I looked up and around and there she was: a Minnesota Air National Guard C-130. It flew right above our heads and made a gracious turn as if it was waving to us. I stopped the catch and made sure that we took a minute to acknowledge the moment. 

My dad was a flight engineer on C-130’s in the late 1950s and early 1960’s. Technically the same plane but now fitted with modern technology and conveniences. 

I know that Jews have very differing opinions of the afterlife and none are definitive. Is there a heaven? Do souls never die? I honestly haven’t thought much about that until recently. What I do know is that the plane flying over my head at that moment was not a coincidence. And it’s the third time this has happened. The last time was on Father’s Day 2025, when a C-130 flew right above my house as I was playing wiffle ball on the front lawn. 

When I was a kid, my dad always had two jobs. And when he would come home, more often than not, I’d ask him to have a catch in the backyard. Most of the time he would oblige – but these were never long catches. It would be a few minutes before my dad would tell me he was tired and we would go in. I remember being upset a lot that it would end so abruptly. And I remember vividly thinking that my dad was just too old. It never dawned on me then, as a kid, that he was just exhausted. 

In the opening monologue of my favorite movie “Field of Dreams,” Ray Kinsella says: “I never forgave him for getting old.” That line stuck with me for years and is the reason why that final scene causes the waterworks for me and tons of other fathers and sons. 

The C-130 flying overhead was my dad telling me to suck it up and to keep throwing with my soon-to-be college freshman. I am certain of it and no one can convince me otherwise.

So I did for a while longer – my shirt getting super sticky and my shoulder tightening with every toss. I’m so glad I kept throwing. It’s the happiest I’ve felt in a long time. 

My kid still wanted to have a catch with his old man. 

I don’t know if there will be room or a need for that custom-made Rawlings at NYU in the East Village, so I think I’ll just have to hold onto it for now.

The post The Catch appeared first on TC Jewfolk.

The St. Paul Regional Water Services (SPRWS) has used Waterfall Security Solutions to help protect St. Paul residents from cyberattacks on the water system while ensuring that operational data is shared across networks. Ultimately, this agreement will cost $70,000 for the next five years.

The St. Paul Water Commission shared that staffers and experts had researched multiple companies and found that Waterfall Security Solutions best met the technical, security, and financial needs for the city.

Supporters of the contract with Waterfall Security Solutions urged commissioners that their primary concern should be protecting the region’s drinking water and to rely on the recommendations from experts.

“The issue before the board is not geopolitics,” said community member John Farber. “It is whether to accept a cybersecurity solution from a proven expert that your professional staff determined was the best choice based on technical merit, reliability, and value.”

Supporters of the amendment argued that the opposition to Waterfall Security Solutions was not about shortcomings in their services, but rather for their connection to Israel.

“If the only reason to reject a qualified company is the nationality of its founders, then we stop talking about cybersecurity, and we start talking about politics,” another community member said.

In contrast, opponents of the contract, many of whom are connected to local pro-Palestine organizations, argued that St. Paul should not be in business with an Israeli company as the war and humanitarian crisis in Gaza continue.

Many opponents called for the broader boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) of Waterfall Security Solutions, as they believe that the company’s ties to Israel support the blockage of water and genocide.

“BDS is not discrimination or hate, and it’s not antisemitism. It’s divestment from genocide,” said Montana Hersch. “Keep our tax money free of genocide.”

This sentiment was echoed by Simar Shaw: “Israel has repeatedly and deliberately attacked water facilities.” They continued by saying, “It’s critical to not hire a company that has committed more crimes and has denied access to water.”

Before the voting on the contract, Vice President Nelsie Yang introduced a motion that would amend the contract to two years instead of five. The motion was not seconded by any other commissioner, causing it to fail.

Following the vote, Yang shared her disappointment with fellow commissioner members.

“I will have to say I’m very disappointed that there wasn’t support for [the motion],” said Yang. “To me, I think that the two years would have been a win for all of us, to showcase that we are listening to folks.”

After the vote passed, the Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas said in a statement that the board “safeguarded our water from the pollution of Israel-hating grandstanding.”

“This decision was never about the Middle East. It was about the Midwest; it was about protecting the drinking water of the people of St. Paul,” the statement read. “Waterfall is an Israeli company. Their world-leading cybersecurity technology was selected by the Water Board’s engineers and cybersecurity professionals. Those same experts recommended its continued use. Today, the Commissioners respected that expertise.”

The post Despite Protests, St. Paul Water Commissioners Extend Contract With Israeli Company appeared first on TC Jewfolk.

Listen to “Dale Bluestein” on Spreaker.

Please subscribe to the Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and more, and don’t forget to rate and review. Check out the show page where you can catch up on previous episodes. And of course, if you have suggestions for others who would be great subjects, let us know!

The post Who The Folk?! Dale Bluestein appeared first on TC Jewfolk.