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We Get to Be Jewish
Growing up the child of a Jew-by-choice, everything about Judaism was a choice for us. For my mother, Judaism was a gift. She felt very proud to count herself among the Jewish people. She felt blessed to have the opportunity to do Jewish things.
The Gates are Closing, and God's Hand is Outstretched
The N’ilah service on late Yom Kippur afternoon is notable for its image of the Gates of Repentance closing their doors. At this late and hungry hour, for the final time during the Day of Atonement, we are summoned to repentance. The fact that many Sages argue we can actually delay our atonement to the end of the Sukkot holiday does not lessen the drama of the moment.
Galilee Diary: Uncertainty
by Marc Rosenstein
(Originally published in Galilee Diary and Ten Minutes of Torah)
Galilee Diary: On the Waterfront
He will take us back in love; He will cover up our iniquities, You will hurl all our sins into the depths of the sea. -Micah 7:19
Lessons in the Mirror
Late in the evening of September 28, 2009, following very introspective and rewarding Yom Kippur services at Congregation Ohabai Shalom in Nashville, I took a hot shower and then stood, wrapped in a towel, in front of the bathroom mirror. As I brushed my teeth, I reflected on my experience of this most prayerful of days, when Jews throughout the world come to grips with their mistakes and seek atonement.
Wrestling with Forgiveness
It is very hard to say you are sorry – and even harder to really mean it. It is not any easier to truly forgive.
Sounds of Kol Nidrei
The melody that stirs the heart of Ashkenazic Jews is of unknown origin, but is part of a body of music known as "MiSinai melodies" that emerged in Germany between the 11th and 15th centuries.
When You Get Stuck in the Fish
Every Yom Kippur afternoon, we read the story of Jonah, perhaps because Jonah is the story of all of us.
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!
Learn About Yom Kippur with Shalom Sesame: Saying Sorry
A new way to explore the meaning of Yom Kippur with your family: watch these Shalom Sesame videos with your children to learn about the concept of saying sorry, and try some of the activities suggested by Reform Jewish educators.