Related Blog Posts on High Holidays and Jewish Rituals and Symbols

During the month of Elul, we are invited to listen deeply. Each weekday morning, we are invited to hear the cry of the shofar, marking the beginning of our spiritual journey toward the High Holy Days.

In a world where identity and culture are increasingly celebrated, wearing symbols of one's heritage has become a powerful way to express pride and connection. For Jews, wearing Jewish symbols in the face of rising antisemitism and hostility can be particularly meaningful.

The Heller Museum invited leading contemporary artists to conceive innovative designs for a mezuzah. Seventeen artists imaginatively reenvisioned this traditional Jewish ceremonial object.

Being the Jewish part of an interfaith family isn't without its challenges. Especially when, like me, being the Jewish influence in my family is because I converted after I was married.

"Winterfaith" seems a much more apt description for me than "interfaith." We're not observing two religions; I was raised Jewish, and my partner was not. The winter holidays are when our "interfaith" background proves to be the most challenging.

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.

In the weeks leading up to my civil divorce, I delved into Jewish tradition to see how I could mark it Jewishly. I'd been married under a chuppah with the exquisite blessings of our tradition; simply marking my divorce in the Cook County courthouse was not going to suffice.

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.

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.

There are a myriad of ways to make Yom Kippur meaningful for young children for whom it is not an easy holiday to understand.