Category: Every Day

Fixing Common Errors in a Kosher Kitchen

Mistakes will happen in a kosher kitchen. While some are easily corrected, others require a bit more effort. Here's what you do.

Rabbi Paul S. Drazen z"l, The Observant Life (Book) February 8, 2023 Every Day Guidelines for a Kosher Kitchen

How to Kasher Kitchen Dishes and Storage

Different dishes require different methods for kashering, depending how they are used and the materials that make up the dishes.

Rabbi Paul S. Drazen z"l, The Observant Life (Book) February 8, 2023 Every Day Guidelines for a Kosher Kitchen

Feeding Pets in a Kosher Home

It is not forbidden for Jewish individuals to feed their pets non-kosher food, but to keep pet food away from kosher utensils and dishes.

Rabbi Paul S. Drazen z"l, The Observant Life (Book) February 8, 2023 Every Day Guidelines for Keeping Kosher

Alcohol and Kosher Supervision

What alcohol requires a hechsher or kosher supervision? It largely depends on the process by which they are made and the ingredients used.

Rabbi Paul S. Drazen z"l, The Observant Life (Book) February 8, 2023 Every Day Kashrut

What do I do if my Tefillin are no Longer Black?

There were places where the tefillin were no longer black, but nearly see-through. What they needed was a good thick coat of paint.

Rabbi Cantor Hillary Chorny February 7, 2023 Accessories for Prayer Every Day

Are Food Additives Kosher?

The Conservative and Orthodox movements differ with regard to the kashrut of certain chemical food additives.

Rabbi Paul S. Drazen z"l, The Observant Life (Book) February 7, 2023 Every Day Kashrut

Life Exists in Relation

If we try to look past the tangible, if we focus on the other, in relationship, we can come to see the Divine, even if ...

Ariel Ya’akov Dunat (they/them) January 27, 2023 Every Day Learning

Why should I put up a mezuzah?

Putting up a mezuzah is a millennia-old public expression of Jewish identity: a meaningful way to mark liminal times in our lives and homes.

Rabbi Susan Leider January 25, 2023 Every Day Home

Encountering the Shema: 7 Questions

Rabbi Mordecai Miller reflects on the Shema with 7 questions: Throughout my life, I’ve tried to understand what this sentence really means.

Rabbi Mordecai Miller January 25, 2023 Every Day Liturgy

Tefillin: A Reminder of What is Holy

Rabbi Julie Schwarzwald on wearing Tefillin: As I go about my work and my mundane routine, I am regularly reminded of what is holy.

Rabbi Julie Schwarzwald January 25, 2023 Accessories for Prayer Every Day

Tefillin: What, How, Who?

Tefillin, ritual black boxes used for prayer, are a powerful and physical way of connecting to God. Here's how to do it.

Rabbi Dr. Karen Reiss Medwed, The Observant Life (Book) January 25, 2023 Accessories for Prayer Blessings

Blessings and Bodies: Praying Without the Book

Jewish spirituality doesn’t live in a book. Our bodies can guide our awareness and blessing. What could this practice look like in your life?

Rabbi Susan Leider January 5, 2023 Blessings Daily Living

The Mystery of “Eyn Keloheinu”

What is the mystery of Eyn Keloheinu? How do we unravel the contradiction that seems to be present within this prayer?

Rabbi Mordecai Miller January 4, 2023 Liturgy Prayer

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 the Month of Elul

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

Blurry image of cleaning supplies with the words Spirtually Cleaning the Hametz within our souls

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

Category: Every Day

Find meaning in your inbox. Sign up for our emails!

Sections

Connect

Our Journey

About