How to Understand the Timelessness of Jewish Time
Although we may think time moves in a linear fashion, Jewish holidays insert themselves in unexpected moments and places, seemingly out-of-sync with our expectations.
See, Count, and Interpret: The Three Hands of Rosh Chodesh
Rosh Chodesh, like many things in Judaism, has three hands.
It’s Never Too Late (or Too Early) for New Year Greetings
Fans of “Seinfeld” may recall an exchange between Jerry and Elaine in which they discuss the appropriate timeline for delivering new year greetings. “I once got Happy New Year'd in March … it’s pathetic,” griped Jerry.
The Jewish calendar has a natural marker for when it’s appropriate to start wishing friends and loved ones a happy New Year. The Jewish month that precedes the Jewish New Year is called Elul, and the first day of Elul, Rosh Chodesh Elul, is the official beginning of the High Holiday season.
Four Pieces of Good News About Religious Freedom
We often hear a lot about negative stories about religious freedom around the world.
I'm Still Thinking About the Day I Chanted Torah at the Kotel
My mixed impressions about Rosh Chodesh Adar will still take some time to settle, but I feel enriched and empowered knowing that each small step is meaningful in the ongoing struggle for all Jews to feel welcome and respected at that holy space.
The Torah That Made History
It finally happened.
After a 26-year struggle, Women of the Wall read from a full size Torah scroll in the women's section of the Kotel.
Rosh Chodesh: My “Girl” Gathering
With great excitement, tinged with a touch of trepidation, I moved to Israel in the summer of 1996 to begin my first year of rabbinical school at Hebrew Union College.
Why the Hebrew Month of Adar Will Never Be the Same for Me
Despite the imperative to be joyous during the Hebrew month of Adar, I cried recently at the Western Wall during Rosh Chodesh services marking the new month.
We Stood Together at Sinai: We May Stand Together at the Kotel, Too
I grew up in a home with my single mother and two sisters. My mother had one sister, two nieces, and one nephew. When my mother died, our synagogue shipped in the men of the traveling shiva minyan to say Kaddish for her the night of her funeral.
Experiencing Rosh Chodesh at the Kotel
This morning, we went to the Western Wall to pray with Women of the Wall for Rosh Chodesh Sivan, the festival celebrating the new month.