Judgment Days
Some label Rosh HaShanah and the period between the New Year and Yom Kippur as "Judgment Days," a time during which the trajectory of our lives for the coming year is reached.
Enhancing Mitzvot on Simchat Torah with Three Nature Crafts for Children
As summer changes to autumn in St. Louis, we seek ways to find nature-based connections in celebration of Simchat Torah. North of the equator, children and adults alike marvel as the natural world dazzles in majestically colored autumn leaves, as if in...
Jewish Women at War: Golda, You're So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah
Two very different Jewish films have emerged on the 2023 late summer film scene. One depicts the trials and tribulations of a 75-year-old legislator during the greatest crisis of her life, the other portrays a 12-year-old girl on the cusp of adulthood.
Simple Ways to Make Yom Kippur Meaningful at Home with Young Children
As the high holidays approach, we are reminded that there are so many meaningful Jewish moments to celebrate. Within the joy and ruach (spirit) of holidays like Rosh Hashanah, Sukkot, and Simchat Torah, lies the solemn and serious Yom Kippur. There are a myriad of ways to make Yom Kippur meaningful for young children, for whom especially, Yom Kippur is not an easy holiday to understand.
Funny, You Don’t Look...
"What are you?" was a question I was often asked in New York City. At first, I did not understand. Having grown up in San Antonio, Texas during the Jim Crow era, there was no doubt in my mind. During Jim Crow, Americans were defined by their skin color. I was not Black, but neither was I white. Therefore, I reasoned, I must be Mexican.
Let’s start at the very beginning…
As we are amidst the season of new beginnings - new Jewish year, new school year, and new Torah cycle - we have a wonderful opportunity to explore the many Broadway composers who were inspired by the Biblical beginnings of the Book of Genesis.
Spicing up my Hispanic Heritage and Embracing Sephardic Traditions
Even before I finalized my conversion to Judaism, I was preparing to celebrate my adult bar mitzvah. In a sense, my conversion preparation became a precursor to bigger plans: for a bar mitzvah and a Jewish vow renewal ceremony with my wife Laurie later this year.
Talking to Children About Jewish Identity in an Interfaith Family
For children in interfaith families, clarifying the role of religion in the family dynamic is important.
Sukkot and the Spirituality of Sustainability
Ten years ago, Ron Schulhof and Michelle Sterling, two congregants who were serving as volunteers on our village's sustainability board, approached me with an intriguing proposal: make WRT the first local house of worship to go zero-waste.
Repent, Repair, Renew
Perhaps the act of gluing is a metaphor for tikkun olam, the act of repairing the world, which is central to our beliefs as Reform Jews. There are so many issues to ponder.
