Best Rosh Hashana Gifts and Sweets from NJ Shops

This fall, the Jewish Holiday of Rosh Hashanah (New Year) begins the evening of Wednesday, September 24th, and ends in the evening of Friday, September 26th. Because it's a festive holiday, some parents and relatives like to give children gifts as they ring in the Jewish New Year with traditional plates of apples and honey. If you're looking for the perfect Rosh Hashanah gift for the special kids in your life, check out what these NJ-based shops are carrying! Below is also a list of kosher bakeries in New Jersey that carry sweet treats for the High Holy days.

Best New Classes for NYC Kids Fall 2014: 13 Enriching After-school Programs

When it comes to enriching after-school programs, NYC kids are totally spoiled—and their choices seem to get more plentiful and diverse every year. Our Classes Guide is already packed with a wide variety of posts, from coding classes to cheerleading, robotics to circus arts, as well as more traditional sports and arts lessons.

This fall's crop of brand-new classes brings a bunch of fresh options for all ages to the mix, including preschool music lessons developed by kindie rock queen Laurie Berkner, a program for tween entrepreneurs, hardcore computer coding for teens and an in-depth intro to the likes of Shakespeare and Socrates. In all, we rounded up 13 notable new kids' classes that either launch this fall or recently debuted. See which ones pique the interest of your young learner.

You can find out about even more excellent programs in our Classes Guide and our Class Directory, which allows you to sort listings by age, interest and neighborhood.

PIE! Where to Find the Best Apple & Pumpkin Pie in NJ

There really aren't too many “all-American” foods that my vegetarian family enjoys; you won’t see us sinking our teeth into hamburgers and fried chicken at barbecues. Even French fries are kind of take it or leave it (I know, crazy, right?) But if there’s one American staple that we would never, ever turn down, it’s PIE! The buttery crust, the tart and sweet filling and of course, a scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream on the side. As luck would have it, New Jersey is a great place to find delicious versions of our favorite fall pies, with its bountiful farms and one-of-a-kind diners in almost every town. Any way you slice it (pun intended), New Jersey families have some awesome pumpkin and apple pies to choose from.

Pause to Remember: This Week's Picks September 8 – 12

The anniversary of 9/11 can be a tough one for parents. We all have different yardsticks when it comes to what kinds of information we are willing to share with our children. If you know you are not ready to talk about this topic with your kids, this is a good week to monitor their exposure to the internet and television. As the eleventh approaches, images and sound bites will be omnipresent in the media. If your kids are older, or super inquisitive, and you are prepared to begin a conversation with them about this dark day in our nation’s history, one powerful way to start is at the Flag Memorial at Pepperdine any day this week.

Remembering 9/11: Things to Do with Westchester Kids on September 11

Every year on September 11th, I think of the 17 children who were in my pre-K class that day, many of whom had parents working in Manhattan just a short train ride away. This year, those former 4 and 5 year olds have the distinction of being the last group of children who are likely to have personal, albeit fuzzy, memories of what happened that day.

Parents, teachers, friends and the media play the primary role in introducing kids to the events of that day in Manhattan, Washington DC and Pennsylvania. Because of Westchester's proximity to New York City, and because so many local families were affected, country residents and visitors have many local options for honoring the day. We've rounded up several ways to commemorate 9/11 with kids, ranging from visiting a local memorial, to volunteering your services, along with recommendations for helping explain the complex events of 9/11. Families interested in traveling into Manhattan on or around September 11th can also take a look at our suggestions for things to do with NYC kids.

Pick Your Own Apple Orchards This Autumn in Eastern CT

Packing up the kids and heading out to pick apples is a rite of passage, and almost a requirement, for families in New England.  Giving kids, both big and little, the experience of seeing where food originates on the farm, is invaluable.  Not to mention, the pictures of kiddos in the orchards and among the pumpkins are sure to be popular with the grandparents.  Check out some of the best pick your own farms for apples in Eastern Connecticut! And make sure to check out our CT Apple Picking Farm Guide too.

I Want Fries With That! 5 Great Diners for Kids and Families in New Jersey

Diners are right up there with all of the things you’d expect to find in NJ, like boardwalks by the beach, saltwater taffy, shopping malls and great views of Manhattan. And it goes without saying that diners are probably some of the best joints to visit with kids – loud, crowded, cheap and charmingly unsophisticated. Plus, diverse menus mean that everyone can order exactly what they’re in the mood for (which basically means less complaining and whining for tired parents!)

So how do you distinguish a great diner from a so-so one? All of the joints below stand out from the pack for a number of reasons. Maybe they’re family-owned and operated (doing everything with just a little extra love), maybe they take the time to make everything from scratch or maybe the food is just that darn good! Read on for our pick of diner favorites for NJ families:

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