Early Hanukkah in 2013: Jewish Calendar Fun
Whenever I'm asked if the Jewish holidays are coming early or late this year, I promptly answer that they'll be coming on time. And that's partially true. Rosh Hashanah will always arrive on the first day of the Jewish month of Tishrei just as Hanukkah will always begin on the 25th of Kislev.
Miracles: They're Not Just for Hanukkah Anymore
I’m not even certain of the year, but it was sometime after the tattoo and before the death march. Aron Lieb was in his early twenties, but he felt elderly. He was working in a coal mine, forced by the Nazis to supply fuel for their war effort.
Shoah Memorial Prayer
This memorial prayer for those who perished in the Holocaust is the centerpiece of a six-prayer Yom HaShoah liturgy. It also appears in liturgist Alden Solovy’s book, Jewish Prayers of Hope and Healing.
The Season of Healing
The High Holidays are a time of introspection and self-assessment in anticipation of repentance, forgiveness, thanksgiving and rejoicing. It is a season of healing.
Can my fiancé and I get married between Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur?
Although Jewish weddings may take place on the days in between the Jewish High Holidays, it is generally discouraged because during that period, also known as the Days of Awe, we are focused on the solemn themes of the season.
A Brief History of the Kol Nidrei Prayer
For most North American Jews, the haunting melody of Kol Nidrei surely is the piece of liturgy that best represents Yom Kippur, prompting us to delve deep into our souls.
The Taste of Salt: A Poem for the Days of Awe
Read a new poem Stacey Robinson created for this High Holiday season.
For Israel: An Accounting of Our Souls
During the Days of Awe, we engage in a full accounting of our souls and our actions. Perhaps this process should be applied to our relationship with Israel as well.
Why I Won't Be Fasting on Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the Jewish year, but for those of us who struggle with eating disorders or disordered eating, it can be one of the most challenging.