Dancing in the Palm of God’s Hand
I can't seem to find a starting place in writing my reflections of Rosh HaShanah. It has become a tangled ball of string, and I’m not able to coax out a single strand. I thought about starting at the end. I could, but I don't know what that is either.
A New Year for the New Legislative Assistants: Our Reflections on 5775
The Torah In Haiku: Emor
Chapter 23 of Leviticus begins ... "And G-d spoke to Moses, saying, "Speak to the people of Israel, and say to them, the feasts of Adonai, which you shall proclaim to be holy gatherings, these are my feasts." The 44 verses of this chapter outline the schedule, and some of the rituals, for Shabbat, Passover, Shavuot, Rosh HaShanah, Yom Kippur and Sukkot.
On Yom Kippur and Year-Round, Help Others to Choose Life
“…I have set before you life or death, blessing or curse; choose life, therefore, that you and your descendants may live.”
Happy Honey Jars
Mi Shebeirach (Prayer for Healing) for All Immigrants and the Descendants of Immigrants
What is the shmita or sabbatical year?
The sabbatical year, shmita in Hebrew, finds it roots in the Torah.
Border Crossings
We are at Rosh Hanikra, just meters from the Israel-Lebanon border. We go down to where the Mediterranean crashes through the caves it has carved out of the mountainside.
Mom's Honey Cake with Apple Confit
Honey cake is traditionally eaten for Rosh HaShanah, the Jewish New Year—the honey’s sweetness symbolizes our wishes for a sweet year. This is my mother's recipe, which she makes in Israel, freezes, and sends to me in the mail.