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Here's a quick look at all the new articles that were published here on About Judaism in January 2012. Hope the new year is off to a great start for you!

1. Choosing a Hebrew Name for Your Baby
2. Jewish Bedtime Rituals for Children
3. The Kaddish Prayer: A Guide to the Different Forms of the Kaddish
4. The Mourner's Kaddish

Image credit: Getty Images/PNC

New Judaism Articles in January 2012 originally appeared on About.com Judaism on Tuesday, January 31st, 2012 at 17:59:54.

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As one of the Seven Species pomegranates are traditional Tu B'Shvat fare. But what can you do with them aside from eating the delicious seeds? Here are a few yummy ideas.

• Mango Pomegranate Guacamole
• Ruby Yacht (pomegranate & champagne cocktail)
• Pomegranate Pilaf
• Pomegranate Syrup (which you can drizzle over stuffed dates or use to make tequila sunrises)
• Battered Chicken Wings with Pomegranate and Mango Barbecue Sauce
• Orange Blossom Cheesecake with Raspberry and Pomegranate Sauce

Also, in case you're wondering how to easily remove pomegranate seeds, here's the trick:

Cut your pomegranate in half, then hold it cut-side down in the palm of your hand over a large bowl. With your other hand use the back of a large spoon to smack the pomegranate firmly. It may take a couple whacks, but the seeds will fall out and into your bowl.

Image credit: Ruby Yacht Cocktail via Two Tarts

Recipes for Tu B'Shvat: Pomegranates originally appeared on About.com Judaism on Thursday, January 26th, 2012 at 01:09:47.

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Every year the Sydney Taylor Book Award honors new books for children and teens for their quality and ability to portray the Jewish experience. The award is named after Sydney Taylor, the author of the classic "All-of-a-Kind Family" series.

At a recent mid-winter meeting the Association of Jewish Libraries announced the 2012 award winners. If you're looking for new Jewish books to add to your child's library you might want to check these ones out. I'm especially interested in "Chanukah Lights" by Michael Rosen and Robert Sabuda. This gorgeous book was featured in one of my parenting magazines and takes the concept of pop-up-book to another level entirely. (See image above).

• Naamah and the Ark at Night by Susan Campbell Bartoletti and Holly Meade (Ages 4+)
• Around the World in One Shabbat by Durga Yael Bernhard (Ages 4+)
• Chanukah Lights, by Michael Rosen and Robert Sabuda. (Ages 5+)
• Music Was It: Young Leonard Bernstein by Susan Goldman Rubin (Ages 10+)
• Hammerin' Hank Greenberg by Shelly Sommer (Ages 10+)
• Lily Renee, Escape Artist: From Holocaust Survivor to Comic Book Pioneer by Trina Robbins, Anne Timmons and Mo Oh. (Ages 11+)
• The Berlin Boxing Club by Robert Sharenow (Ages 13+)

The Best Jewish Children and Teen Books originally appeared on About.com Judaism on Friday, January 20th, 2012 at 13:13:34.

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Tu B'Shvat falls on February 8th this year and like many Jewish holidays, there is food involved.

Tu B'Shvat is the Jewish New Year for the trees. In ancient Israel it was intended to calculate the age of the trees for tithing, but nowadays many people celebrate the holiday by donating to the Jewish National Fund (an organization that plants trees in Israel) and eating foods that can be found in Israel. These foods are usually the Shivat Haminim (Seven Species) that are named in the Torah.

Figs are one of the Seven Species and if you are looking for delicious ways to eat them this Tu B'Shvat, here are a few ideas:

• Fresh Fig and Stilton Flatbreads
• Yogurt with Caramelized Figs
• Fig Crostata
• Grilled Figs Stuffed With Goat Cheese
• Grilled Bruschetta with Teleme, Honey, and Figs

Images credit: Getty Images/David Loftus

Recipes for Tu B'Shvat: Figs originally appeared on About.com Judaism on Sunday, January 15th, 2012 at 23:23:07.

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I'm often amazed by the things people put on YouTube and this Lego stop-motion film is no exception. Using Lego pieces and figurines, the author created an animated version of "Tradition" from Fiddler on the Roof. The attention to detail is impressive, with Tevye wearing his tzitzit (prayer fringes) and all the Jewish Lego women wearing their sheitels (head coverings). And then there's the overall coolness of seeing little Jewish Legos performing part of a Broadway musical together. Click here to check it out on YouTube. (Note how Lego Gandalf makes a special appearance as a rabbi at 5:28.)

Fiddler on the Roof Lego Stop-Motion originally appeared on About.com Judaism on Friday, January 13th, 2012 at 13:56:30.

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Readers frequently email with questions about Jewish synagogue life. Usually they have been invited to an event and will be visiting a synagogue for the first time. They wonder: What should they wear? What does the inside of a synagogue look like? What should I expect at a service? All excellent questions.

If you are not Jewish and have asked yourself these questions, the articles below will give you a solid introduction to the synagogue (more articles to come). There's also something for those of you who are Jewish - for instance, why some observant Jews wear tefillin.

• A Guide to the Synagogue
• What Is a Rabbi?
• The Jewish Shabbat Morning Service
• What to Wear at Synagogue
• What Are Tefillin?

Image credit: Getty Images/Rob Melnychuk

Synagogue 101 originally appeared on About.com Judaism on Tuesday, January 10th, 2012 at 22:59:03.

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