Does one wear a tallit to services the night of Yom Kippur (Kol Nidrei)?
In the book of Numbers (15:38-39), we read that the Israelites were instructed to "make for themselves fringes on the corners of their garments…that they shall look at it and recall all the commandments of the Eternal and observe them..."
How can I observe Sukkot if I do not have a sukkah?
It is a mitzvah to build a sukkah and to celebrate in a sukkah.
What, if anything, can be done with the etrog after Sukkot?
The etrog is the citron fruit used as a component in the arba minim, the four species.
I am familiar with a Passover seder, but what is a Tu BiShvat seder?
Tu BiShvat (Hebrew for the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Shvat) is the new year of the trees.
What role have Jews historically played in the civil rights movement?
Jews in the United States have a long and proud history of advocating on the behalf of others. Our own history has taught us about the importance of respecting the fundamental rights of all people.
Why is the Jewish Sabbath observed on Saturday?
Genesis, Chapter 1 provides the basis for the Jewish week and the understanding of its days.
What is the Reform Jewish perspective on abortion?
Due to our fundamental belief in the sanctity of life and the Jewish value of kavod ha’briyot, respect for human dignity, Reform Judaism holds that abortion is both a medical and spiritual decision that should be made by the individual within whose body the fetus is growing.
Is it true that you cannot be buried in a Jewish cemetery if you have a tattoo?
While the Jewish community might still be divided over tattoos, the prohibition against burying a tattooed person in a Jewish cemetery is a myth. Caring for the body after death is also a mitzvah, and we don't exclude people in our communities from that care simply because of markings on the skin.
I have a Jewish mother and a Christian father. What am I?
As you may know from watching the news, the issue of who is a Jew is a hotly debated one nowadays. There is no simple answer.