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Category: Every Day
Mikveh: Not Just for Niddah Anymore
Moving well beyond niddah, mikveh is now used to mark any and all transitional and transformative moments.
Rabbi Julie Schwarzwald
December 27, 2022
Every Day
Lifecycles
What is the Jewish Afterlife?
What does Judaism say about the afterlife? Exploring the inherent conflicts between the different ideas and why that's a good thing.
Emily Jaeger
December 25, 2022
Death and Dying
Every Day
Asher Yatsar: My Favorite Blessing
Our bodies are wonderful and wondrous. Asher Yatsar helps us recognize our physical selves and offers a moment of gratitude to The Creator.
Rabbi Uri Allen
November 30, 2022
Blessings
Daily Living
The Risks of Playing Jewish Geography
In the game of Jewish geography, you connect with who you don’t know by connecting through who you do know. But is the game good ...
Rabbi Susan Leider
November 17, 2022
Community
Every Day
Unpacking the Phrase: Barukh HaShem
What does “Barukh HaShem" really mean? What is the origin of this phrase? If we don’t believe in God, how do we relate to the ...
Rabbi Susan Leider
November 16, 2022
Blessings
Daily Living
Dress to Impress Yourself…Into the Book of Life
Sara Beth Berman teaches us: Everything you need to know about clothing the body that holds your precious soul for the High Holidays.
Sara Beth Berman (she/her)
September 19, 2022
Clothing
High Holidays
Candle Lighting for Rosh Hashanah
When and how to do Rosh Hashanah Candle Lighting. We usher in Rosh Hashanah by lighting candles, just as we do on Shabbat.
The Observant Life (Book)
,
Rabbi Alan Lucas
September 12, 2022
Blessings
Every Day
What are Selichot?
Selichot are special prayers recited in anticipation of the High Holidays introducing us to the themes of the upcoming holidays.
The Observant Life (Book)
,
Rabbi Alan Lucas
August 21, 2022
Elul
High Holidays
Rituals and Prayers Recited in Elul
The ritual preparations for the High Holidays begin a full month in advance with the onset of the month of Elul.
The Observant Life (Book)
,
Rabbi Alan Lucas
August 19, 2022
Elul
High Holidays
Seliḥot: What do we recite?
Seliḥot, a series of penitential prayers, are recited in anticipation of Rosh Hashanah and the Days of Repentance. Here's what to recite.
Rabbi Miles B. Cohen
,
Leslie Rubin
August 16, 2022
Elul
High Holidays
How to call Non-Binary Jews to the Torah
Being called to Torah is a moment of sacred encounter. Here's how to call Non-Binary Jews to the Torah based on the CJLS Teshuvah in ...
Rabbi Deborah Silver
August 1, 2022
CJLS
Halakhah
Luaḥ for Tish’ah Be’av 5782/2022
Luaḥ information for the observance of erev Tish’ah Be’av and the following day generously provided by Rabbi Miles Cohen.
Rabbi Miles B. Cohen
,
Leslie Rubin
July 28, 2022
Luaḥ (Luach)
Tisha B’Av
The Biblical Sources and Context for Tzedakah
The Torah provides many examples and legal provisions which are the foundation of our understanding of tzedakah.
The Observant Life (Book)
,
Rabbi Elliot N. Dorff, Ph.D.
June 29, 2022
Every Day
Hebrew Bible
Prayer Expresses Petition, Praise, Anger, and History
Prayer is not just a recitation of words. But rather, prayer is an expression of a great many modes and experiences in Judaism.
The Observant Life (Book)
,
Rabbi Dr. Karen Reiss Medwed
June 29, 2022
Every Day
Prayer
T’fillah/Prayer: A Mitzvah to Take a “Time Out”
T'fillah, Jewish prayer, is rooted in self-judgment, reflection, and connecting to something greater than ourselves.
The Observant Life (Book)
,
Rabbi Dr. Karen Reiss Medwed
June 29, 2022
Prayer
Understanding Prayer
What is Tahanun?
Tahanun is the name for a series of penitential prayers that follow the Amidah during the Morning and Afternoon Services.
The Observant Life (Book)
,
Rabbi Dr. Karen Reiss Medwed
June 29, 2022
Liturgy
Prayer
What is Tzedakah?
Jewish tradition does not see contributions to the community’s welfare as mere charity, but rather as tzedakah, literally “acts of justice.”
Rabbi Elliot N. Dorff, Ph.D.
,
The Observant Life (Book)
June 22, 2022
Every Day
Tzedakah
A Contemporary Understanding of Mitzvot
Rabbi Bradley Artson explains how Mitzvot function as an indispensable manifestation of a meaningful Jewish life.
Rabbi Dr. Bradley Shavit Artson
June 21, 2022
Learning
Mitzvot
Shabbat Morning Services: What to Expect
We thank God, spend time in community, sing heartily, read holy texts, and revel in rest. What can I expect at a Shabbat morning service?
Rabbi Sydni Adler Rubinstein
June 16, 2022
Prayer
Prayer in Synagogue
Questions of Revelation: A Poem
Rabbi Suzanne Brody shares her poem that embraces a variety of midrashim about what happened at Sinai when we received the Torah.
Rabbi Suzanne Brody
May 20, 2022
Personal Prayer
Prayer
The Shabbat Afternoon Service
The Minhah Service on Saturday Shabbat afternoon contains a number of significant additions to the weekday Afternoon Service.
The Observant Life (Book)
,
Rabbi Michael Katz
May 16, 2022
Prayer
Prayer in Synagogue
Revelation: A Poem
Yakira Keshet offers a poem to commemorate Shavuot, her journey to Judaism, and the presence of our souls at Mount Sinai.
Yakira Keshet
May 12, 2022
Conversion
LGBTQ+
Havdalah Solo: My (Slightly Awkward) Spiritual Self-Care
My Havdalah candle, wine, spices, and I did my own Havdalah ceremony all alone in my backyard. It was my own form of spiritual self-care.
Marion Haberman
April 27, 2022
Havdalah
Shabbat
Friday Night Services at Synagogue: An Explainer
Friday night services on Shabbat include both Kabbalat Shabbat, a joyous recitation of psalms, and a Shabbat Maariv, the evening service.
Rabbi Michael Katz
,
The Observant Life (Book)
April 20, 2022
Erev Shabbat
Prayer
The Sunflower on Our Seder Table
The Sunflower on Our Seder Table by Rabbi Ilana Garber on behalf of the people in Ukraine in 2022.
Rabbi Ilana C. Garber
April 6, 2022
Passover
Passover Prayer
All Who Are Hungry: A Prayer for Action, A Prayer for Ukraine
All Who Are Hungry: A Prayer for Action, A Prayer for Ukraine by Rabbi Mark Greenspan on behalf of the people in Ukraine in 2022.
Rabbi Mark Greenspan
April 6, 2022
Passover
Passover Prayer
Dedication for First Cup of Wine
Dedication for the First Cup of Wine at the Passover Seder by Rabbi Martin S. Cohen on behalf of the people in Ukraine in 2022.
Rabbi Martin S. Cohen
April 5, 2022
Passover
Passover Prayer
Spiritually Cleaning the Hametz Within Our Souls
With all of this physically taxing work, it can be easy to miss the spiritual preparation for this celebration of our collective redemption.
Rabbi Nolan Lebovitz
March 31, 2022
Passover
Preparing for Passover
How to Kasher Your Kitchen: A Simplified Guide
This is a simplified guide on how to kasher (make kosher) various items in your kitchen, especially for Passover.
Rabbi Jeremy Markiz
March 17, 2022
Guidelines for a Kosher Kitchen
Holidays