Secular Holidays

Tricks, Treats, and Tradition: Being an American Jew on Halloween

Rabbi Rebecca Einstein Schorr

October 31, 2014

Picture this: The setting was a dining room on the East Coast on Friday, October 31st, sometime in the late 1990s. It was dinnertime, and the father of the family was seated at the head of the table while the mother scurried back-and-forth between the kitchen

Tu B’Av

Do Jews celebrate Valentine’s Day? Is there a Jewish holiday similar to Valentine's Day?

Rabbi Victor S. Appell

The origins of Valentine’s Day are linked to a saint, though, the connections are dubious and even the Catholic Church has removed Valentine's Day from the church calendar.

A Seder for Thanksgiving

Rabbi Phyllis Sommer

This Thanksgiving seder was compiled by Rabbi Phyllis Sommer of Am Shalom in Glencoe, IL. Download and print the seder.

Secular Holidays

How do I bring Jewish values into a secular holiday like Halloween?

Rabbi David Z. Vaisberg

Just because Halloween is non-religious does not mean that we should check our Jewishness at the door. Rather, we have the opportunity to bring Jewish values to heart for that festival evening.

Parenting

Secular Holidays

Halloween: A Jewish Perspective for Parents

The question of how to handle Halloween - whether to participate, and if so, how - is one that is often discussed amongst Jewish parents as the holiday approaches. Reform Jewish tradition guides us to make decisions based on “informed choice.”