“I love the symbolism behind almost everything in Judaism. I love what apples and honey represent. I’ve gotten more into my religion the older I’ve gotten. And it’s so fun teaching this to the kids and my husband who has been awesome in taking on Judaism. We’ve started some fun family traditions for Shabbat with the candle blessings. The kids get a special hamotzi treat, juice with the Kiddush, a bubble bath that night, and of course, we sing ‘Bim Bam’ with the video. As they get older, I’d like to make Shabbat our family game night.

I love the Jewish holidays. We go to services and we do all the traditional symbolic cooking with my mom and my grandma. And while my daughter’s only four years old, she also loves helping. Passover was always a special day when I was growing up. I would spend all day cooking with my grandma. My mother remembers cooking with her grandma, so I think that’s been one of my favorite days of the year just baking and cooking.”

📷| Bill Motchan