Marinated Olives
Songs and Videos for Celebrating Simchat Torah
Confronting Death is an Important Part of Life
If on Yom Kippur we rehearse our own death, then on Tishah B’Av (observed last month), we begin the annual process of preparing for death. The seven-week period from Tishah B’Av to Rosh HaShanah provides an opportunity to cultivate our souls, to reestablish our relationship with God, and to reconcile with ourselves and others. We transform the potentially passive experience of judgment into an active process of self-awareness, acceptance, engagement, and transformation.
It’s Never Too Late (or Too Early) for New Year Greetings
Fans of “Seinfeld” may recall an exchange between Jerry and Elaine in which they discuss the appropriate timeline for delivering new year greetings. “I once got Happy New Year'd in March … it’s pathetic,” griped Jerry.
The Jewish calendar has a natural marker for when it’s appropriate to start wishing friends and loved ones a happy New Year. The Jewish month that precedes the Jewish New Year is called Elul, and the first day of Elul, Rosh Chodesh Elul, is the official beginning of the High Holiday season.
From Maryland to Mexico: Rejoicing in the Torah
Learn what happened when a congregation in Ajijic, Mexico, contacted B’er Chayim Temple in Cumberland, MD, to see about acquiring a much-needed Torah scroll.
Teaching Children about Reducing Waste (Bal Tashchit)
The Thread that Connects the Tree of Life Synagogue, Kristallnacht, and Tishah B’Av
In the year since the shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, PA, I’ve been thinking about the antisemitic thread that runs through the tragedy.