My Alphabet of Failings: A New Ashamnu
Each year on Yom Kippur, I join my congregation is reciting the Ashamnu, an alphabetic acrostic of sins for which we repent. And each year, it occurs to me that most of the sins named in the Ashamnu don’t hit me in the heart I’m beating – and so, I wrote my own version of the prayer.
How the High Holidays Are Like a Charles Dickens Tale
Whether you prefer the 1843 book or any of the many movie versions made since, there is no question that Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol is a classic.
Now, despite the season for which Dickens wrote it, A Christmas Carol is a Yom Kippur story if there ever was one.
Yom Kippur Wasn't Always the Holiday It Is Now
As the summer passes its midway point, rabbis begin to think seriously about the coming Days of Awe.
The Music of the Rosh HaShanah Amidah
Each year as I prepare for the High Holy Days, I return to the familiar melodies that make up our Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur services.
A Brief History of the Kol Nidrei Prayer
For most North American Jews, the haunting melody of Kol Nidrei surely is the piece of liturgy that best represents Yom Kippur, prompting us to delve deep into our souls.
The Taste of Salt: A Poem for the Days of Awe
Read a new poem Stacey Robinson created for this High Holiday season.
RAP- PENTANCE: A Hip-Hop "Praylist" for Rosh HaShanah
I began dreaming about an alternative High Holiday experience – a musical journey that would tap into ancient liturgical themes and refract them through the lens of hip-hop. Kind of like Rosh HaShanah: The Remix.
For Israel: An Accounting of Our Souls
During the Days of Awe, we engage in a full accounting of our souls and our actions. Perhaps this process should be applied to our relationship with Israel as well.
Why I Won't Be Fasting on Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the Jewish year, but for those of us who struggle with eating disorders or disordered eating, it can be one of the most challenging.
From Sorrow Comes Something New
Just as Hannah's sorrow revolutionized prayer, it takes only one person to expand our view of what is possible, to give us permission to express our truest selves.