NFTY

This will be my fourth Hanukkah as an IsraeliShlicha (emissary) in North America. After three years of building relationships, learning, and working with inspiring individuals, communities, and organizations, I feel that this year, the candles in my chanukiyah will represent the stories of the wonders I’ve experienced during my shlichut (my time as an emissary) and also serve as reminders of the work that lays ahead.

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“To everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under heaven.” Not only was this made famous by Pete Seeger and The Byrds, but it is a verse from a book of the Jewish bible, the Tanach Thayer read every year on Sukkot, Ecclesiastes.

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The High Holidays are the one time throughout the year when almost every Jew, regardless of how observant they are, comes out of their year-long hibernation and goes to temple.

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By Spencer Winson, NFTY-SW President Every morning I wake up at five thirty.  Rolling over, I grab my computer and check Twitter, Tumblr, my blog, and make sure I remembered to do all my homework.  Then I may burn a CD for the 52 minute car ride.  After evacuating the cocoon my bed has become, I stumble into my bathroom, put my contacts in and take a quick shower.  I then get my black uniform polo and boring khaki shorts out of my bottom drawer and put them on.  Walking into the kitchen I make my breakfast and lunch by [...]

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By Cody Rosen, NFTY-SW Religious and Cultural Vice-President S’lichot is a time for forgiveness. During S’lichot we repent our sins to get ready for the up and coming New Year. This repentance starts on the Saturday before Rosh Hashanah, through the New Year, and ends at Yom Kippur. S’lichot literally means apologies, and we are supposed to confront our troubles that we had in the past year, specifically with the people who we have done wrong. It is not necessarily just about asking for forgiveness but also to forgive the people who have done wrong to us. The following questions helped [...]

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Here are a few tips to make the High Holy Days a little less foreign, and maybe even inspirational.

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