Creating New Rituals and Tradition for the School Year and the New Year
For children, traditions and rituals are significant; they provide predictability, support, and familiarity, while bringing families together and creating unity and a sense of belonging.
How a Rare Jewish Ritual Added Meaning to Our Family
When our son was born, we put a modern spin on the rare tradition of pidyon haben, using the ceremony as one way to welcome him to the Jewish community.
Attending L'Taken inspired me to run for - and win - a seat on my local board of education
Despite growing up in a Jewish household, it was not until high school that my Judaism really shaped my life’s path.
I Ran for a Seat on My Local School Board... While I Was Still in High School
When my term as youth group president ended, I was not ready to stop my social action and community building efforts, so I decided to run for the local board of education.
In It to Win It: Similarities Between Elul and the Lottery
Aside from a date, what can these two events possibly have in common? Strange as it may seem, there are a few points of comparison.
Cocktails, Colleges, and Comedy: 5 Jew-ish Headlines to Read This Week
Amidst political headlines and other stressful news of the sort, here are a few light-hearted, good-natured Jewish reads for the week.
JewV’Nation Fellowship Focus: Danielle Gold and Jesse Irizarry
Danielle and Jesse created focused young adult Jewish programming on the neighborhood level, calling it the Queens Jewish Project (QJP).
A Satisfaction Survey for the Jewish New Year
As we turn to the start of a new Jewish year, perhaps we can be inspired by the all-too-familiar customer satisfaction survey to evaluate our spiritual lives.
Mishkan HaLev: Trying Out the New Selichot Service
Selichot is the overture for our High Holidays, a chance to focus on meaning, tradition, faith, and striving to reach that spot in the heart where no one else can go.
How Can We Forgive the Unforgivable?
In theory, no one wants to be that person who can’t let go, who refuses the request for forgiveness. But is it really possible, or even right, to forgive everything?