Seeking God and Community in Synagogue Life
Havdalah Square
A few weekends ago, I brought 20 congregants, mostly of the teenage variety, to New York City for a "Jewish New York" experience.
Checkout-Line Blessings at the Israeli Supermarket
Although Israel is filled with many religious people, most supermarket visits don’t come with a side of checkout-line-blessings like the ones I witnessed recently.
Cold: Prayer for a Chilly Shabbat
Snow days can be fun; not so this kind of cold. It was colder in Chicago this week than it was in the North Pole.
Shacharit
Morning prayer service. Prayed every day, though the content is different on weekdays, Shabbat, and Festivals. Derived from the Hebrew word for "dawn."
Minchah
Afternoon prayer service. Prayed every day, though the content is different on weekdays, Shabbat, and Festivals.
Maariv / Arvit
Evening prayer service. Prayed every day, though the content is different on weekdays, Shabbat, and Festivals. Derived from the Hebrew word for "evening"
Amidah
Literally, “standing.” A central prayer of the worship service, often recited privately. A chain of blessings in which the first three and final three are always the same, and the intermediate blessings change based on the day (i.e., Shabbat, weekday, holidays).
A Jewish Response to Political Scandal
As we witness public figures dismantled by the revelation of ugly episodes from their pasts, we parents must distill these events and their aftermath for our children.
A New Jew Showing up for Shabbat with a Resolute Welcome
There’s nothing unique about my grief following the murders in Pittsburgh except that the fear imbedded in it is new to me.