Rosanna Dyer Osterman (1809-1866) risked her life to act as a courier to the Confederate Army, after the city of Galveston, Texas, was occupied by the Union Army. From Osterman’s perspective, the Union Army were the occupiers. When she learned that the Union knew of the Confederates’ early January attack plan, she managed to get word to the Confederates so that they could attack early and retake the city.

When I moved to Chicago, one of my biggest challenges was meeting new people who shared my similar tastes and interests. There was such a cultural divide between where I grew up and the Midwest. It’s not to say that it was a negative thing, but rather, a readjustment (I promptly picked up snowboarding in lieu of my favorite Florida pastime — surfing.)

I want to thank JDate for helping us find each other… actually, she found me.

Out of all your wedding tasks you have to accomplish, ordering and organizing wedding invitations may seem like the biggest headache. It may not be the most glamorous task (oo la la, dress shopping!) or the yummiest (cake tasting for the win!), but it’s a really important one. After all, how else are your guests going to know when and where to show up on your big day? It’s the foundation of your wedding day and can even set the tone for what guests can expect.

On the first anniversary of the Exodus from Egypt, the Children of Israel prepared to celebrate their first Passover as free people. God decreed that they should eat matzah and maror (bitter herbs) in commemoration of the great event, and, most importantly, that the Israelites should all partake of the Passover sacrifice (lamb).

Astrology 411: What does May have in store for you? One astrological sign should be on the lookout for past lovers. For another sign, love, money and values will all take center stage this month! Read on to find out if those April showers will actually bring May flowers!

U.S. politics have never been pretty. Even as the colonists declared their independence from England, they were busy arguing with one another. Rather than Democrats (liberals) and Republicans (conservatives), however, the early Americans were divided between the Republicans (liberals) and the Federalists (conservatives). If you find political fighting today abhorant, just imagine what it was like before political correctness!

It is hard to escape the ubiquity of the term “tikkun olam” in contemporary American Judaism. Translated as “repairing the world,” it has the power to galvanize people of all ages into action on issues as diverse as gay rights and preventing the release of fossil fuels into the atmosphere. Nearly every synagogue has a committee or teen group dedicated to the practice of tikkun olam, and the term, now practically synonymous with “social action,” has crept into mainstream intelligentsia parlance.

Ethics – it’s a big word in our day and age. Between political corruption and financial misdeeds, it is easy to wonder what ever happened to even the most basic ethical standards.

As a snack this Shabbat, I am serving guacamole in honor of Cinco de Mayo. I love this creamy, healthy condiment and look for any excuse to shmear it on challah, tortillas and my favorite enchiladas.