Matzo Shortage Plagues Passover in Calif.

(NEWSER) - Among the families around the world gathering tomorrow to celebrate the beginning of Passover with a dinner, or seder, will be a high-profile group: the Obamas. The White House seder tradition started on the campaign trail in 2008, when then-senator Barack Obama surprised three staffers by showing up for their makeshift celebration in a Pennsylvania hotel basement. Last year's seder was a bit more impressive, with close to two dozen friends, relatives, and staffers gathering at the White House. More»

Ark of the Covenant may have been in Zimbabwe all along

(NEWSER) - An African tribe's claim to be descended from Jews who fled the Holy Land 2,500 years ago has been backed up by DNA testing. The Lemba, who live in South Africa and Zimbabwe, are largely Christian or Muslim, but they practice many Jewish traditions, including wearing skullcaps, eschewing pork, and placing the Star of David on their tombstones, the BBC reports. More»

'Open Carry' backers grab coffee, tea and a .43.

(NEWSER) - A growing number of gun rights supporters in Northern California are making a frightening point by packing guns in places like Starbucks. The members of the Bay Area Open Carry Movement sport guns in holsters reminiscent of the Old West. Luckily, they're not loaded, so the guns are in full compliance with state law, but that's not making other customers feel secure. “You can have a functioning loaded weapon in two seconds,” boasted one college student who carries plenty of ammo and has been packing a gun on his hip for about a month. More»

No home country and an Americanized palate spell doom for brisket

(NEWSER) - The Jewish deli is dying, author David Sax tells New America Media , and there’s not much anyone, Jew or gentile, can do about it. In New York, for instance, there are about two dozen kosher and non-kosher establishments today, down from 1,500 in the 1930s. One of the problems is the rootlessness of the culture. “A Mexican restaurant always has a Mexico to go back to, for its source,” Sax says. With Jewish food, “there is no physical place that you can return to.” More»

Fashion dogs on track to eclipse pit bulls as most abandoned

(NEWSER) - A Hollywood-fueled demand for Chihuahuas in California has morphed into shelter populations that make up 50% of the dogs in some places. “It's been a slow and steady climb,” a San Francisco animal control spokeswoman tells the Los Angeles Times . “We call it the Paris Hilton syndrome.” More»