Related Blog Posts on High Holidays, Jewish Values, and Spirituality

A child blowing a shofar
High Holidays

Creating High Holiday Memories for Children

Lisa Samick
Finding ways to make the High Holidays meaningful for your child is an important way to nurture their Jewish identity. There are many ways to celebrate at home, like reading books, making crafts, or discussing what the holiday means to you and them.
Unlit white memory candle in a glass votive against a black backdrop
Sukkot

You’re Invited to Remember

Rabbi Lisa S. Greene
Growing up, I saw Yizkor as a mysterious event on Yom Kippur afternoon. The grownups would return to temple in the afternoon, while my sister and I stayed home. There was no explanation, just an understanding that this was a thing our parents and grandparents did, and we did not.
An image of a woman's silhouette standing with the sky and clouds behind her, with the words "Breathe Bravely" in purple
Jewish Values

Breathe Bravely

Tani Prell
This reflection on the theme of bravery explores the ways that the author's mixedness, Jewishness, and range of emotions are tied to what it means to her to be brave.
an image of a prayer book opened, two shofars and a tallit on a white wooden surface
High Holidays

Judgment Days

Kerry Leaf
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.
an image of a glode with a bandaid over the United States
High Holidays

Repent, Repair, Renew

Lana Weinstein
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.
an image of a sun setting over a body of water
High Holidays

Dawn: An Elul Poem

Lee McPhillips Radlo
As we prepare for the High Holy Days, we engage in cheshbon hanefesh, an accounting of the soul. During the month of Elul, we look inward and reflect. This poem speaks to the possibilities of healing ourselves and our world.
an image of a father and two kids reading a book
Jewish Values

The Importance of Storytelling

Rabbi Maya Y. Glasser
The Jewish people love to share stories, as memory is a central Jewish value. We cannot forget what has happened to us because we must share it with future generations. The past is one of our best learning tools.