Cheit
A Hebrew term for “sin.” Cheit is a Hebrew archery term meaning “missing the mark.” A section of High Holiday liturgy is the Al Cheit, a confession of ways in which we “missed the mark” during the past year.
T’kiah
Literally, “blast” or “blowing of a horn;” it is a note of the shofar call.
T’kiah g’dolah
Literally the “great” t’kiah, this is the longest, deepest call of the shofar heard as the final shofar blast on Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur.
T’ruah
Literally, “shout;” one of the shofar blasts. It is composed of a series of nine short blasts.
Tzom kal
Literally, “easy fast.” A customary greeting for Yom Kippur, a fast day.
Yamim Noraim
"Days of Awe." An alternate name for the High Holidays, and the 10-day period beginning with Rosh HaShanah and concluding with Yom Kippur.
Rhineland #1: A Poem for Yom HaShoah
"They know people died but nobody tells them about the worlds that were lost."
Letting Go at Auschwitz-Birkenau: Lessons from a Zen Peacemaker Retreat
As the son of Holocaust survivors, I ruled out the possibility of ever visiting a concentration camp. Doing so would be emotionally off the charts.
How a New Ceremony Changed My View of Yom HaShoah
Yom HaShoah is typically a somber time to reflect, and for me personally, to be angry at the world. Last year, however, was different.
Sharing the Human Experience of Holocaust Remembrance Day
To make the ceremonies and reflections of Holocaust Remembrance Day meaningful, there must be ways it informs our decisions as Jews and as human beings all year long.