Must-Know Rosh Hashanah Words and Phrases
Here are some important Hebrew words and terms you may encounter over the High Holiday season. Akedah — Pronounced ah-keh-DAH. Literally “binding,” the Akedah refers to the biblical story of the...
View ArticleMust-Know Yom Kippur Words and Phrases
Al Chet (also Al Het)— Pronounced ahl-CHAIT. Literally “for the sin.” This is the name of a prayer recited multiple times during the Yom Kippur service. Avinu Malkeinu — Pronounced ah-VEE-new...
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Rosh Hashanah Traditional Foods and Recipes
Many people know about the custom of eating apples dipped in honey on Rosh Hashanah, but there are many more food-related customs for the Jewish New Year. Sweet foods are popular, to symbolize the...
View ArticleRosh Hashanah FAQ: All About the Jewish New Year
What is Rosh Hashanah about exactly? What is a shofar? What traditional foods are served? What do “shana tova” and “gmar hatima tova” mean? How long does Rosh Hashanah last? Do I have to belong to a...
View ArticleYom Kippur FAQ: All About the Day of Atonement
What is Yom Kippur about exactly? How long does Yom Kippur last? Do I have to be a synagogue member to go to Kol Nidre and other Yom Kippur services? Where can I stream Kol Nidre and other Yom Kippur...
View ArticleWhy Tisha B’Av is Not Really About Mourning
We tend to think of Tisha B’Av, the fast day that commemorates the destruction of both ancient temples, as a time of mourning. But the traditional observances of Tisha B’Av — fasting, being unable to...
View ArticleWhat Is a Shofar?
A shofar is a ram’s horn that is blown like a trumpet during Rosh Hashanah services, every day except Shabbat during the preceding month of Elul, and at the end of Yom Kippur. The four sounds of the...
View ArticleHigh Holiday Zoom Services: How to Get the Most out of Them
Jewish holidays are often divided into “home-based” holidays and “synagogue-based” holidays. Passover is a classic home-based holiday, when families and individuals host seders at home. On the other...
View ArticleWhere to Stream Yom Kippur Services for Free
Growing numbers of synagogues now live stream their services online. On the High Holidays, these streams are often restricted to synagogue members or cost money to watch — but not always. This guide...
View ArticleCandle-Lighting Blessings for Yom Kippur
On Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement, Jews usually eat a final pre-fast meal and then light candles at home before heading to synagogue in time for Kol Nidre, a prayer that is said in the last...
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How to Play Dreidel
The Hebrew word for dreidel is sevivon, which, as in Yiddish, means “to turn around.” Dreidels have four Hebrew letters on them, and they stand for the saying, Nes gadol haya sham, meaning A great...
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Recipes for Hanukkah
On Hanukkah is it customary to eat foods that are either fried in oil or made with cheese. When is Hanukkah 2020? Click here to find out! The fried foods custom recalls the miracle of Hanukkah, which...
View ArticleThe Benefits of Fasting on Yom Kippur
The Yom Kippur fast is one of the most widely observed Jewish rituals, even among those who don’t regularly go to synagogue. Yet the practice of fasting evokes, for some people, many of the worst...
View ArticleWhat Happens at a Yom Kippur Break Fast?
By the time the final service of Yom Kippur, Neilah, draws to a close with a long shofar blast, people who have been fasting the full 25 hours can feel pretty famished — and most especially, thirsty....
View ArticleWhat is Elul?
Elul is the last month of the Jewish year and the final month prior to Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year. This is a month in which to spiritually prepare for the High Holiday season of reflection and...
View ArticleMayim Bialik Explains Rosh Hashanah
Actor, neuroscientist, mom, and a self-proclaimed aspiring “super Jew”, Mayim Bialik illuminates the basics of Rosh Hashanah. The post Mayim Bialik Explains Rosh Hashanah appeared first on My Jewish...
View ArticleMayim Bialik Explains Yom Kippur
Actor, neuroscientist, mom, and a self-proclaimed aspiring “super Jew”, Mayim Bialik explains the rituals of Yom Kippur complete with GIFS, jokes, and just the right amount of sarcasm. The post Mayim...
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Rosh Hashanah 101
Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year, is a fall holiday, taking place at the beginning of the month of Tishrei, which is actually the seventh month of the Jewish year (counting from Nisan in the spring)....
View ArticleThe Art of Teshuvah
Teshuvah is the foundational practice of the High Holy Day season. Literally translated as “return,” teshuvah is a process of turning away from those ways in which we missed the mark so we may come...
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9 Things You Didn’t Know About Rosh Hashanah
Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, is known for apples dipped in honey, record synagogue attendance and as the kickoff to the Days of Awe, which culminate in Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. We’re...
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