Category: High Holidays

The History and Evolution of Simchat Torah

The History and Evolution of Simchat Torah

If the Torah doesn’t tell us anything about Simchat Torah, where does this holiday come from? What does it teach us?
A Racial Justice ViduiConfessional

A Racial Justice Vidui/Confessional

We offer this contemporary “Ashamnu,” confession, for this moment. Some of the sins are ours, others are part of society's complex systems.
A Talmudic Reading Of The High Holiday Prayer Un’taneh Tokef

A Talmudic Reading Of The High Holiday Prayer Un’taneh Tokef

Un'taneh Tokef: What makes this prayer so attractive? Could it be the poignant question, “Who will live and who will die?”
תכלה שנה וקללותיה – תחל שנה וברכותיה

תכלה שנה וקללותיה – תחל שנה וברכותיה

ובאמת, לצד האסונות שידענו לאורך אלפי שנות קיומנו, ידענו גם לקום, להתאחד ולהתחזק מתוך השבר. וכך יהיה גם הפעם.
End the Year and Its Curses – Begin the Year with Its Blessings

End the Year and Its Curses – Begin the Year with Its Blessings

Despite the disasters we have faced, we have known how to rise, unite, and grow stronger from the fractures.
CARING FOR CREATION PRAYER

Caring For Creation Prayer

A short prayer, inspired by and quoting the Prophet Isaiah, connecting us to nature, the environment, and all of creation.
Promoting Isaiah On Yom Kippur

Promoting Isaiah On Yom Kippur

Engaging with Operation Isaiah is a demand to eliminate the scourge of hunger. May we see the day when healthy food is available to all.
A Meditation/Kavannah on the Shofar and Civic Engagement

A Meditation/Kavannah on the Shofar and Civic Engagement

May the shofar blasts become our catalysts inspiring us to civic participation and the preservation of our democracy.
The Shofar Is Calling Us Toward Queer Reconciliation: A Kavvanah

The Shofar Is Calling Us Toward Queer Reconciliation: A Kavvanah

The shofar's call urges us to examine our own biases and privileges, to stand in solidarity and to advocate for change.
Social Justice Commission High Holiday Reader 5785

Social Justice Commission High Holiday Reader 5785

Our tradition teaches: the sound of the shofar can literally break down the walls, both physical and spiritual. It can shatter complacency and indifference.
Approaching Tashlikh - Casting Off Racism

Approaching Tashlikh: Casting Off Racism

May our casting of the bread upon the waters lead to a concerted common effort to confront and confound racism throughout the New Year.
Hagar Enslaved Woman

Hagar, Enslaved Woman

May these Days of Awe help us understand more deeply and act more forcefully on behalf of the enslaved and marginalized in our society.

Redemption Of Captives And Freeing Hostages: An Ethical Imperative

While Jewish law contains many opinions, the moral imperative is clear: every effort should be made to negotiate the release of hostages without delay.
A Yizkor for the Victims of October 7th

A Yizkor for the Victims of October 7th

May God remember all the women, men, and children of Israel who were brutally murdered on the 7th of October.
Yizkor for the Victims of October 7th

Yizkor for the Victims of October 7th

This Yizkor, for the victims of the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, attempts to capture the personal details of the people killed on this ...
כיצד ראוי לחגוג את שמחת תורה בשנת תשפ״ה?

?כיצד ראוי לחגוג את שמחת תורה בשנת תשפ״ה

חווינו אחד מן האסונות הגדולים ביותר בתולדות המדינה, ומאז, כיצד ראוי לחגוג את שמחת תורה בשנת תשפ״ה?
How to Appropriately Celebrate Simchat Torah in 5785

How to Appropriately Celebrate Simchat Torah in 5785

With the ongoing tragedy of October 7th and the ongoing hostage situation and war, how do we appropriately celebrate Simchat Torah in 5785?
The Danger of the Divine

The Danger of the Divine

Yom Kippur is a reminder about yirah, about awe. God is here, powerful, and dangerous. The best response to that is a sense of yirah. 
כוונה לכניסת שמחת תורה תשפ”ה

כוונה לכניסת שמחת תורה תשפ”ה

דקות לפני כניסת החג, מתכנסים בבית הכנסת, לוקחים כלי חרס שביר ביד ואומרים האלה.
Intention for Simchat Torah 5785

Intention for Simchat Torah 5785

A ritual and intention before the start of Shemini Atzeret/Simchat Torah this year in 2024/5785 based on a Talmudic story.
In Need of a Divine Hug: The Embrace of the Sukkah

In Need of a Divine Hug: The Embrace of the Sukkah

This year, we should learn to experience the embrace of Sukkot by embracing one another, knowing that God is reaching out to embrace us, too.
Balance Espiritual y Arrepentimiento

Balance Espiritual y Arrepentimiento

Fasting, praying, and ancient rituals invite and inspire us to begin Ḥeshbon Hanefesh and perform sincere Teshuvah.
Spiritual Balance and Teshuvah

Spiritual Balance and Teshuvah

Fasting, praying, and ancient rituals invite and inspire us to begin Ḥeshbon Hanefesh and perform sincere Teshuvah.
Sovereign of All the Earth: The Meaning of the Malkhuyot

Sovereign of All the Earth: The Meaning of the Malkhuyot

Acknowledging God’s sovereignty marks our responsibility toward all of life, through which the one creative, life-sustaining spirit flows.
The Binding of Isaac: What Does God Want?

The Binding of Isaac: What Does God Want?

How might we make meaning of the Binding of Isaac, a troubling, watershed story that shakes us to our core? What can we learn?
A New Year Filled With Hope

A New Year Filled With Hope

Tradition reminds me that even if I don't feel hope now, it's still here. Maybe it isn't present right now, maybe we will find it.
שנה חדשה מלאה תקוה

שנה חדשה מלאה תקוה

המסורת מזכירה לי שאפילו שאני לא מרגישה את התקווה עכשיו - היא איפשהו כאן. ואולי היא נוכחת כרגע, אולי נמצא אותה.
7 Things To Do During The Yom Kippur Prayers

7 Things To Do During The Yom Kippur Prayers

Yom Kippur is 25 hours of fasting, hundreds of prayers, and thousands of words. Here are 7 things you can do to make it more ...

High Holiday Liturgy: Making Meaning from the Metaphors for God

By understanding the nuance of Divine justice, we are given a powerful model for healthier relationships in the human realm.
Holding Both Joy and Sorrow

Holding Both Joy and Sorrow

Our hearts are big enough to hold all the emotions we feel during this holiday season, as we pray, eat, and observe the holidays together.
How To Live A Morally Good Life

How To Live A Morally Good Life

The moral life, with its choices, its responsibilities, its missteps, and its modes of repair, is an integral part of what it means to be ...
How to Prevent High Holiday Burnout

How to Prevent High Holiday Burnout

The delicate balancing act of celebrating and observing the High Holidays can be mixed with a bit of overwhelm. Here's what you can do.
Davening with Leonard Cohen

Davening with Leonard Cohen

A rockstar-poet-monk and a humble Jew, a roshi and just another rabbi. In some moments, we trade places, imagining what could have been.
The power of memory making

The Power of Memory-Making

Memory-making, the way we tell ourselves our story, the way we frame our history, offers the opportunity to give us power and, ultimately, hope.
NAM Page cover

High Holiday Reader 5785: Not A Mahzor

Exploring Judaism's 2024 (5785) High Holiday Reader, Not A Machzor, includes essays to inspire a meaningful Holiday season.
How To Get Religious Accommodations At Work

How To Get Religious Accommodations At Work

Want to know your rights as a Jew in the workplace? Need religious accommodations? Find out what your rights are and how to exercise them.
How to Forgive

How to Forgive (Kol Nidrei)

When the time of Yom Kippur is upon us, we talk a lot about forgiveness. Saying "sorry" is easy—how do we forgive?
Netzach and Hod

Netzach and Hod (Rosh Hashanah)

Rabbi Friedson explains the middot—soul traits—of netzach and hod and relates the required tenacity and glory to this time of year.
Hope is a Rope

Hope is a Rope (Rosh Hashanah)

We learn from Rabbi Friedson to keep our hope in mind for this next year. Our hope is a rope, just as strong and tenacious.
Non-Fasting Sh"tz on Yom Kippur

Non-Fasting Sh”tz on Yom Kippur

When should we use a non-fasting sh"tz on Yom Kippur? This CJLS teshuvah, originally written by Rabbi Gail Labovitz, explains.
The Discomfort of Yom Kippur

The Discomfort of Yom Kippur

As we discuss our traditions and requirements on Yom Kippur, we encounter discomforts that allow us to think about the past year.
5 Kavanot for Elul

5 Kavanot for Elul

Here are 5 kavanot, intentions, for the days and weeks of Elul, approaching the Holy Days. This includes poems, books, and self-reflection.
What Am I Afraid Of?

What Am I Afraid Of?

As we continue the work of Elul, examining the words of Psalm 27 can teach us about going beyond the inner voices and what we ...
Celebrating the High Holy Days From Home

Celebrating the High Holy Days From Home

Celebrating the high holy days from home gives us ample opportunity to bring the sacred even further into our lives.
The Arba•ah Minim

Lulav and Etrog: The Four Species

Besides dwelling in a sukkah, the other significant mitzvah of Sukkot is the taking up of the arba·ah minim, literally “the four species.”
Sukkot at Home

Sukkot at Home

While celebrating Sukkot at home, rituals include lighting candles, sitting in the sukkah, and customs related to the sukkah.
Sukkot in the Synagogue

Sukkot in the Synagogue

On the mornings of Sukkot, Shacharit and Musaf follow the standard festival format. The lulav and etrog should be shaken.
Intermediate Days of Sukkot

Intermediate Days of Sukkot

The intermediate days of Sukkot, the weekdays, combine some features of festival days and normal weekdays to create wholly unique day.
Hoshana Rabbah

Hoshana Rabbah

Although the fifth intermediate day of Sukkot is known as Hoshana Rabbah, it is technically just the last day of ḥol ha-mo·eid.
Simḥat Torah

What is Simhat Torah?

Simḥat Torah means “the joy of Torah” and is the name for the day on which the annual cycle of Torah readings begins and ends. ...
Sh'mini Atzeret Candle Lighting

Sh’mini Atzeret Candle Lighting

The laws for lighting candles on Sh’mini Atzeret are similar to those for Shabbat. These laws also apply to Simḥat Torah.
Rituals of Sukkot

Rituals of Sukkot

Sukkot, one of the shalosh r’galim, the three pilgrimage festivals is celebrated five days after Yom Kippur.
The Sukkah

The Sukkah

The sukkah for Sukkot has some very basic requirements, but beyond these rules its construction is left to one’s imagination and creativity.
Sukkot Candle Lighting

Sukkot Candle Lighting

The laws for lighting candles on Sukkot are almost identical to the laws for Shabbat candle lighting, with the exception of covering eyes.
Ne'ilah

Ne’ilah

Ne’ilah is an additional service, recited only at the conclusion of Yom Kippur. It signifies the sealing of the Book of Life.
Minḥah on Yom Kippur

Minḥah on Yom Kippur

Minhah, the Afternoon Service, begins with the Torah service, including selections from Leviticus and the haftarah on the Book of Jonah.
Yom Kippur Musaf Service

Yom Kippur Musaf Service

The Yom Kippur Musaf Service includes two services: the Avodah service and the Martyrology service. Musaf follows Yizkor and Torah reading.
Yom Kippur Candle Lighting

Yom Kippur Candle Lighting

Following the Yom Kippur meal, candles are lit in a similar fashion to those lit on Rosh Hashanah. A Yizkor candle is also lit.
Yom Kippur Evening Service

Yom Kippur Evening Service

Maariv, the evening service, following Kol Nidrei on Erev Yom Kippur, is similar in many ways to daily Maariv but has notable differences.
Yom Kippur Morning Services

Yom Kippur Morning Services

The Yom Kippur morning service is similar to Rosh Hashanah, with the exception of the Amidah and the selections for the Torah service.
Erev Yom Kippur and the Customs Preceding It

Erev Yom Kippur and the Customs Preceding It

Preparations on Erev Yom Kippur are intrinsic to the awe-inspiring observance of the day: a special meal, candle lighting, and charity.
Kol Nidrei and Being Imperfect Together

Kol Nidrei and Being Imperfect Together

Yom Kippur begins with the dramatic Kol Nidrei service, intended to annul vows made between yourself and God.
Yom Kippur Yizkor Service

Yom Kippur Yizkor Service

The Memorial Service, Yizkor, is recited on Yom Kippur, one of four times throughout the year, to remember loved ones and Jewish martyrs.
Shemini Atzeret: Chilling with God

Shemini Atzeret: Chilling with God

Shemini Atzeret is a holiday that has left Jews puzzled for generations, but it's really about our intimate relationship with God.
Jewish Halloween: Hoshana Rabbah

Jewish Halloween: Hoshana Rabbah

Rather than prohibit Halloween (and turn Jewish kids off), we have an opportunity to talk about Hoshana Rabbah and our heritage of ghost stories.
What’s Water Got to Do With It?

What’s Water Got to Do With It?

How does the imagery of water and rain connect Shemini Atzreet and Simchat Torah? What can we learn from this?
Just the Tip of the Etrog

Just the Tip of the Etrog

Reflecting on the idea that a tiny, fragile protuberance can make an entire ritual object unfit for use is absurd. Here's what it teaches us.
What Does it Mean to Dwell in the Sukkah?

What Does it Mean to Dwell in the Sukkah?

Living in the Sukkah can mean just living in an outdoor hut for a week, but it can also bring so much more meaning into ...
Navigating Yom Kippur with Toddlers and Young Children

Navigating Yom Kippur with Toddlers and Young Children

Yom Kippur with young children can be a challenge. Here are some tips for making the holiday meaningful for them and for you.
Why Do We Read Jonah On Yom Kippur?

Why Do We Read Jonah On Yom Kippur?

With lessons on failure, the value of admitting our mistakes, and allowing ourselves and others to apologize, the Book of Jonah has much to teach ...
Tashlikh: A Quick Overview

Tashlikh: A Quick Overview

One of the beautiful customs associated with Rosh Hashanah is Tashlikh, a brief service that takes place by a body of water.
Are There Only Ten Days of Repentance Each Year?

Are There Only Ten Days of Repentance Each Year?

Teshuvah in the 10 days of Repentance between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are sacred days, but what about the days before and beyond those?
5 Myths about T’shuvah

5 Myths about T’shuvah

Five myths that we tell ourselves about t'shuvah that keep us from doing it skillfully or doing it at all.
What is Tashlich?

What is Tashlich?

What is Tashlich? How do you do it, what is its history, what are the environmental concerns and, of course, why I love Tashlich.
Dress to Impress Yourself…Into the Book of Life

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.
What to Read to Prepare for the High Holidays this Year

What to Read to Prepare for the High Holidays this Year

Rabbi Mordechai Rackover recommends these reads to help you prepare for the themes, liturgy, and spirit of the High Holidays.
Rosh Hashanah Musaf Service

Rosh Hashanah Musaf Service

The Musaf Service for Rosh Hashanah contains familiar opening and closing blessings of the Amidah with the usual High Holiday interpolations.
The Shofar on Rosh Hashanah

The Shofar on Rosh Hashanah

Sounding of the shofar is a characteristic mitzvah of Rosh Hashanah. The holiday is alternatively called the Day of Sounding the Shofar. 
Rosh Hashanah Torah Reading

Rosh Hashanah Torah Reading

Rosh Hashanah Torah reading includes Abraham, Sarah, and the Binding of Isaac. Haftarot tell the story of Samuel and other relevant themes.
Rosh Hashanah Synagogue Services

Rosh Hashanah Synagogue Services

For most people, Rosh Hashanah means a lot of time spent praying in the synagogue. These are the complex explanations behind those prayers.
Could The Terminator Do Teshuvah?

Could The Terminator Do Teshuvah?

Rabbi Dan Ornstein teaches us: human freedom is ineradicable and that our dignity is predicated upon our moral responsibility.
My Bangin’ Rosh Hashanah Seder

My Bangin’ Rosh Hashanah Seder

Emily Jaeger explains to us: What is the Rosh Hashanah seder, how do we perform it, and why you might consider doing one too.
Being Called by God

Being Called by God

When we say hineni to ourselves and our lives have a spiritual center, our existence will be more meaningful, and we'll live a more purposeful ...
Rosh Hashanah At Home

Rosh Hashanah At Home

Personal and at-home Rosh Hashanah rituals include candle lighting, eating apples with honey, and sharing meals.
Candle Lighting for Rosh Hashanah

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.
Why Do We Ask for Forgiveness in Elul?

Why Do We Ask for Forgiveness in Elul?

Asking for forgiveness not only cultivates empathy and humility, but it provides an opportunity for renewal.
The Days Between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur

The Days Between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur

The days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are known as the Ten Days of Repentance and include the Fast of Gedaliah.
Elul’s Shofar: A Poem

Elul’s Shofar: A Poem

Elul's shofar blasts daily remind us of all we need to do to prepare spiritually for the upcoming holidays and the start of the new ...
How do I observe Selichot?

How do I observe Selichot?

It is said that Selichot opens the gates of heaven for the High Holy Days. This Selichot, do what opens your heart to the gates ...
The Challenge of Faith

The Challenge of Faith

In faith: What matters in such things is the attitude of the one who is asking the question. What matters is an orientation of faithfulness.
Customs before Rosh Hashanah

Customs before Rosh Hashanah

There are customs in order to prepare for Rosh Hashanah, including Selichot, physical changes in the synagogue, and immersing in the mikveh.

Living With No Regrets

While introspection is healthy, too much regret can discourage us from embracing our unchangeable past and our openness to future choices.
(Not) Announcing Rosh Hashanah

(Not) Announcing Rosh Hashanah

On Rosh Hashanah, we do not recite the traditional blessings announcing a new month for a variety of different reasons.
What are selichot?

What are Selichot?

Selichot are special prayers recited in anticipation of the High Holidays introducing us to the themes of the upcoming holidays.
When is the Jewish New Year?

When is the Jewish New Year?

There are four New Years, each with its own purpose. That said, the counting of the new year begins with Rosh Hashanah, in the seventh ...
Non-Ritual Ways of Preparing in Elul

Non-Ritual Ways of Preparing in Elul

There are many ways to spiritually prepare in Elul for the Yamim Nora'im, the Days of Awe, also known as the 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.
Seliḥot: What do we recite?

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.