Sukkot guide to help those at home celebrate holiday
Along with spending time in the sukkah and waving the “Four Species” or “Four Kinds” (etrog, lulav, arava and hadass) a central observance of the holiday of Sukkot is holding festive evening-time celebrations.
Known as Simchat Beit Hashoeva, they harken back to the...
‘If you build it, they will come’: The blessings of the holiday sukkah
Some people take the commandment to beautify a mitzvah very seriously indeed, especially when it comes to their sukkah.
It’s been nearly three decades since Len Upin took brush in hand and, using acrylics, painted a...
Music for Yom Kippur: Kol Nidrei, The History of a Song and a Prayer
Kol Nidrei is an Aramaic phrase which means far more than its literal translation, “All Vows.” This statement of annulment of vows has become such a dominant part of the Jewish religious psyche that it...
In Estonia’s miraculous Jewish rebirth, a Yom Kippur message of hope
What do you do with a new year that just doesn’t feel new? This question is top of mind for Jews around the world as we gather to celebrate High Holidays that seem to herald not...
Israelis take to the streets on Yom Kippur
At Yom Kippur, Israel grinds to a halt. For 25 hours, schools, restaurants and businesses shut down, roads empty out as driving is prohibited, and there are no buses, no trains and no planes.
Known as...
![By מינוזיג - MinoZig [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], from Wikimedia Commons](https://jewishwebsite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Shofar_in_Rosh_Hashanah-324x235.jpg "Yom Kippur 2021: A guide for the perplexed")
Yom Kippur 2021: A guide for the perplexed
1. Yom Kippur is considered to be a “super Sabbath” (shabbat shabbaton in Hebrew)—a soul-searching opportunity for the pious and evil alike.
2. Yom Kippur is observed on the 10th day of the Jewish month of Tishrei...
The ‘fast’ track to inspiration: 10 tips for a transformative Yom Kippur
“For on this day He will forgive you, to purify you, that you be cleansed from all your sins before G‑d.” — Leviticus 16:30
It may feel longer, but from start to finish, it’s actually under...
As Gulf opens to Jewish life, Muslims spark interest in learning about High Holidays
With Jews around the world set to begin the High Holiday season, the small Jewish communities in six Gulf states, including Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, are planning...
Sounds of the season: Live and pre-recorded performances to boost holiday worship
Relix magazine and the Brooklyn Bowl are well-known to music lovers worldwide. This year, they will become even better known as they host “High Holidays –A Suite of Spiritually Driven Holiday Services,” an innovative musical worship experience...
An Unreasonable Reason to Fear the Fearsome Days
The next few days the Jewish people would fully concentrate on the so-called Days of Awe, those from Rosh Hashanah (New Year) to Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement). Days of introspection, of analyzing how...