18 Tips for Your Coziest Shabbat Yet
In the winter months, adding elements of simplicity, presence, and coziness can elevate the rituals and intentions of Shabbat. Here are a few tips for your most hygge/heimish Shabbat yet!
Related Blog Posts on COVID-19, Elul, High Holidays, Jewish Rituals and Symbols, Ritual Objects, and Worship
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.
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.
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.
Dawn: An Elul Poem
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.
613 Mitzvot, 613 Seeds: A Look at the Pomegranate’s History, Symbolism, and Uses
Why is the pomegranate such a prominent symbol of Rosh HaShanah and what are some other ways to use it?
Crossing Over
I’m feeling very peaceful today. I went to the mikvah this morning. I was a little nervous, just because official rites of passage can be a little scary. But I knew everyone was going to be super nice and supportive (and they were!).
Thinking Outside the (Tzedek) Boxes
A camel carrying a load. A golden pair of balanced scales. An open heart and an open mind. These are three of more than two dozen artists' visions of justice and righteousness featured in the invitational exhibition, "Tzedek Boxes: Justice Shall You Pursue."
New Year, Same Me: Finding the Diamond Within
As Jews, we have the opportunity to celebrate the New Year not once, but several times. The Jewish year has four different New Year celebrations: Rosh HaShanah, Passover, Tu BiShvat, and Elul. Many Jews also celebrate the Gregorian New Year in January. That means we get five opportunities every year to do an accounting of our soul (cheshbon hanefesh) and make resolutions for growth and betterment.
Measuring Demons in the Wake of the Pandemic
I spent months hiding inside my home after Covid-19 was declared a global health emergency. During that time, the Talmudic description of evil spirits resonated with me. It was certainly how I felt, surrounded by invisible threats just outside my door. Since I am a children's author, I channeled these fears into a picture book featuring a supernatural spirit.
