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Wrestling With Abraham
Each Rosh HaShanah, the Akedah ("The Binding of Isaac"), Abraham's near sacrifice of his son Isaac at God's behest, highlights for us the impenetrable paradox of affirming a good, omnipotent God who causes bad things to happen to good people. How could God promise to make Abraham's descendants as numerous as the stars of the heavens, and then order Abraham to "Take your son…and go to the land of Moriah and offer him there as a burnt offering…"? (Gen 22:2)
Celebrate Rosh HaShanah with Shalom Sesame: Sounding the Shofar
Watch this Shalom Sesame video with your children and try these fun activities to explore and learn more about the shofar, Rosh HaShanah and the High Holidays!
Celebrate Rosh HaShanah with Shalom Sesame and Rosh HaShanah Hannah
Watch this Shalom Sesame video with your children and sing along with Rosh HaShanah Hannah! Try fun activities to explore and learn more about Rosh HaShanah and the HIgh Holidays.
6 Ways to Prepare for the High Holidays
Jewish tradition provides us with several reminders of the upcoming Days of Awe, as well as a number of ways we can prepare for them.
Tu BiShvat: Customs and Rituals
The Jewish mystics of the 17th century, the Kabbalists, created a special ritual—modeled after the Passover seder—to celebrate God's presence in nature. Today in modern Israel, Tu BiShvat has become a national holiday, a tree planting festivaTu BiShvat is not mentioned in the Torah. Scholars believe the holiday was originally an agricultural festival, corresponding to the beginning of spring in Israel. But a critical historical event helped Tu BiShvat evolve from a simple celebration of spring to a commemoration of our connection to the land of Israel. After the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 C.E. and the exile that followed, many of the exiled Jews felt a need to bind themselves symbolically to their former homeland. Tu BiShvat served in part to fill that spiritual need. Jews used this time each year to eat a variety of fruits and nuts that could be obtained from Israel. The practice, a sort of physical association with the land, continued for many centuries.l for both Israelis and Jews throughout the world
Tu BiShvat: History
Although the celebration of Tu BiShvat has a long and varied history, the theme most commonly ascribed to the holiday today is the environment.
Lag BaOmer: History
Lag BaOmer is a shorthand way of saying the 33rd day of the Omer. (The numerical value of the Hebrew letter lamed is 30, and the value of gimel is three; lamed and gimel together are pronounced “lahg.”) In addition to tracking the agricultural cycle, the Omer marks the seven-week period from Passover, which commemorates the Israelites’ Exodus from Egypt, to Shavuot, which commemorates the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai.
Counting of the Omer: Blessings for Each Day
The period between Passover and Shavuot is called the “Counting of the Omer” ( Sefirat Ha'omer).
Rosh HaShanah: Family Activities
Here are some fun Rosh HaShanah-related blessings, rituals crafts and activities for your family to welcome the new year.
Teaching Children about Reducing Waste (Bal Tashchit)
Yasmin must hold her nose to wade through the garbage piling up outside the Plony house. Though she turns off the faucet and begs Momma Plony not to use extra paper towels, it takes a magical Sparks-inspired flood to sort out the real trash from the recyclables.