Comparing and contrasting Halloween and Sukkot
The month of October unleashes a tension of sorts in our predominantly Jewish Pico-Robertson neighborhood in Los Angeles. As one walks farther from Pico Boulevard, the ubiquitous sukkot on front lawns give way to macabre Halloween...
Snapshots of Sukkot
Sukkot is a week-long holiday in Israel (as opposed to eight days in the Diaspora), with the first and last days as Yom Tov and national holidays in which businesses are closed. This year,...
First ever book about the Jewish festivals for emerging Jewish communities
“Hands-On Jewish Holidays”, a book about the Jewish festivals specifically targeted to emerging Jewish communities, those communities who are discovering Jewish ancestry and wishing to reconnect to the traditions of their ancestors, has been...
KKL-JNF releases photos showing Sukkot in Israel through the decades
Ahead of the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, the Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund archive unveiled a series of historical photographs that have been preserved for decades and are now being presented to the public...
New beginnings: Bridging divides through atonement and shared understanding
As Yom Kippur approaches, we find ourselves at a crossroads facing a world increasingly divided by misinformation, political agendas and cultural clashes. This holiest of Jewish days offers a unique opportunity for healing, reflection...
On Yom Kippur, our legacy organizations should repent. Don’t hold your breath
Yom Kippur is a time to reflect on our behavior and repent for our sins. The Jewish establishment really ought to do teshuvah, but it will not.
The legacy organizations whose duty is to represent, defend and...
On Yom Kippur, it’s time to hit the ‘reset button’
Taking into consideration that this is the time of year for Jewish reflection and atonement, it’s also a good time to reflect on the power and responsibility of forgiveness, a theme that runs through...
National Library of Israel’s High Holidays manuscript acquisitions ‘vessels of time, touch, community’
This Yom Kippur, Chaim Neria intends to bring copies of two manuscripts, which the National Library of Israel recently acquired, to synagogue with him to study and to “deepen my knowledge” during the High...
This New Year, ask yourself: Are you creating a better place?
As we approach the High Holidays, the looming question for me is whether or not I have met my responsibility to my Jewish people and God in being of service in creating a better...
Trump extends ‘warmest greetings’ to Jewish community for Rosh Hashanah
U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday extended his "warmest greetings" to the Jewish people for Rosh Hashanah, calling it "a holy time of prayer, community and spiritual reflection."
"During this sacred time, Jewish believers begin...