More Than Words on a Page: Social Justice in our Prayer Books
When I left for college my freshman year, I was nervous about exploring a new Jewish community. However, I immediately felt at home as I walked into my university’s Hillel’s Conservative Friday night services and saw the Siddur Sim Shalom, the prayer book I had grown up with.
A Math Formula Can "Carry a Charge of Love"
Judaism is filled with ritualized counting. From the seven ordered days of creation, to the repetition of forty throughout the Tanach (Hebrew Bible), to God's exhortation to Abraham to "count the stars, if you can count them…" Currently, we are in the midst of counting the Omer, the days from Passover to Shavuot.
Lag BaOmer Bonfires: A Warning Sign of Hatred
What makes this holiday a favorite among secular Israelis, while it is almost forgotten by Jewish kids in the Diaspora?
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.
Why do we observe Lag BaOmer with bonfires?
Lag BaOmer is the 33rd day of the counting of the Omer.
5 Last-Minute Ways to Work Civic Engagement Into Your High Holidays
This year, the High Holidays fall a month and a half before midterm elections, providing an opportunity for our community to reflect on the past year and make decisions about our future.
How to Declutter Your Soul During the High Holidays
The Days of Awe offer us opportunities to consider how we spend our days and what brings us joy. This work is precisely what we need to be doing at this season.
Two Musicians and a Liturgist: Creating Music for the New Year
Learn the backstory of how a new song, “Creation Sings,” grew from the collaboration among two musicians and a liturgist.
If Abraham Was on Social Media: Lessons for the High Holidays
I wondered recently about the patriarch Abraham’s Facebook page. Would he have posted selfies with Isaac? What would his page say about him? What do ours say about us?
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.