Taking a Mitzvah and Making It Beautiful
During the week of Sukkot, we are instructed to read various Torah passages that reference the festival.
Fostering Interfaith Understanding in the Western Galilee
A couple of years ago, my congregation Emet VeShalom’s musical ensemble, joined with volunteers from nearby Nes Ammim, a lovely Christian, European Zionist village, to hold a joint concert called “Li
The Makeshift Sukkah: An Enduring Institution Framing an Eternal Covenant
The relatively brief Torah reading for the first day of Sukkot offers a quick summary of the who, what, when, where, and why of this sacred celebration-the third and final observance in the cycle of three pilgrimage festivals.
New Study Guides, Books, and Musical Resources Among Reform Movement Offerings for the High Holy Days
A wealth of books, music, and on-line articles are now available to help families through the flurry of getting ready for the High Holy Days season.
Let Us Remember the Fragile and Precious Nature of Life
The emotional high of the Days of Awe is still an uplifting memory as Sukkot arrives. We have attempted to cleanse our souls, and if we are really honest with ourselves, we might admit that we are feeling pretty good about the experience. Ironically, perhaps we might even be feeling a bit smug.
Do Reform Jews Celebrate One or Two Days of Rosh HaShanah?
Most Reform congregations in North America celebrate Rosh HaShanah for one day
What's In a Jewish Name?
"What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." (William Shakespeare, Romeo & Juliet)
There Are No Good Old Days
We have arrived finally at Parashat Haazinu, the last speech Moses will make to his people and the penultimate installment of his conversation with us from miles and centuries away.
Telling the Story of the Jews of Poland
I am a documentary filmmaker. And I am Jewish.
Over the years, I worked on films about a wide range of subjects, but never a Jewish one. My Jewish identity has always been a part of me, but I had no interest in merging it with my identity as a filmmaker.
Honoring Chiune Sugihara, an Unknown Hero
"Whoever saves a life, it is considered as if he saved an entire world." – Talmud