5780: Our Annual Rosh HaShanah Sermon Roundup
Typically, at some point in my work on this project, my wife will lean over my shoulder and ask me, in her own style, “So. How are the Jews this year?” Some years that is a difficult question to answer. This year the answer is clear: The Jews are afraid.
Our Interfaith Family and the New Year
As we’re preparing for our first Rosh Hashanah with our 8 month old son Solomon, I can’t help but to pause and wonder how my husband and I got here? My husband, Matt, is not Jewish, and from an early age I was encouraged to only date Jewish men.
Rosh HaShanah Evening Blessings: Kiddush- Blessing over the Wine, Shabbat and Weekday
Blessings over the wine during the evening of Rosh HaShanah.
Reflection of the Days of Awe
I love this time of year; Fall setting in, the ending of one year and the beginning of another. It never hurts to reflect on the past year and make a resolve to be the best person you can be moving forward. Although Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur have record synagogue attendances, personally, we’ve been a bit different in how we observe the High Holidays year-to-year
Our Migrant First Family: Abraham Passed the Test, but Will We?
Rabbi Rick Jacobs, president of the Union for Reform Judaism, presented this sermon on Rosh HaShanah morning, saying, "We need to face something so odious that we will try to avert our eyes. But we must not."
Galilee Diary: Attunement
Sure enough, last week I saw the first chatzav flower of the season – which was actually sort of surprising, as it's been several years since the last leap year, so the holidays are "early" in the solar year this year.
What I Learned From Researching My Family Tree
My interest in Jewish genealogy goes back to 1992, but it was a librarian at my local public library who put me on the path to research my family history.
Spending the High Holidays in Bali
This Lemon Cake Recipe Exposed a Family Secret
After a Shabbat dinner in my home for three Germans, one of them shared a lemon cake recipe and the incredible story of how it uncovered a long-held family secret.
Emotion and Intellect: The High Holidays in Our Tradition
One of the most distinctive dimensions of the High Holy Days in our tradition is that among the major observances of the Jewish calendar, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are experienced primarily in the synagogue.