Here is a list of things to do that I have gathered in response to the perpetual question of what to do on Chol Hamoed. Some of these activities require reservations, so read this article before Yom Tov, and be prepared!

Tours
For adults: You’ll have to leave the little kids home for this one. Rabbi Dovid Katz is leading two truly unique tours of Baltimore on Wednesday and Thursday of Chol Hamoed. One is called “Old Jewish Baltimore,” and the other one is “The War of 1812, the Civil War, and the Jews.” The tours last for about five

When my cell phone rang again and again early on August 16, I thought, can’t they call back later; it’s summer vacation; I’d like to sleep another half an hour. But my cell phone doesn’t usually ring so early, so I quickly said Modeh Ani, washed netilas yadayim, and ran to pick it up.

   “Is this Danielle Storch?” the officialsounding voice on the other end of the line asked.
   “Yes” I replied as I blinked my eyes.
   “This is Dr. Fitzpatrick from Northwest Hospital, and you are listed as family for Mr. Alan Garfield. I’m afraid to

It is well known that the first Jews arrived in North
America in 1654. What is not so well known is that the first qualified rabbi to settle here, Rabbi Avraham Rice, did not arrive until 1840. One might refer to the first 186 years of American Jewish history as the “Reverend and Cantorial Age,” since these men, as well as some laymen who possessed better than average Jewish educations, served as the leaders of the various Jewish communities during this period.

Needless to say, the lack of qualified Orthodox rabbis during these early years created all sorts of problems