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The Gates are Closing, and God's Hand is Outstretched
The N’ilah service on late Yom Kippur afternoon is notable for its image of the Gates of Repentance closing their doors. At this late and hungry hour, for the final time during the Day of Atonement, we are summoned to repentance. The fact that many Sages argue we can actually delay our atonement to the end of the Sukkot holiday does not lessen the drama of the moment.
JewV’Nation Fellowship’s 2022 Jews of Color Leadership Cohort
From January 2022 – June 2022, these fellows will participate in cutting-edge seminars focusing on identity enrichment, professional and leadership development, Jewish learning, movement-building, mentorship, and more!
The Power of Prayer, Ritual and Tradition: Reflections from a Caregiver
On August 1, 1998, I started a diary with the words ‘Today Harvey signed the papers which placed him in hospice…This is my hospice diary. Will I be able to keep it up? Will I be able to help him get through this experience? Can I possibly come out alive on the other end? The answer to all of that is - only God knows...So together, my darling husband of 49 years and I started a journey. A journey which would find each of us in a very different place at the end.
Prayer: Hear, O Israel (Sh'ma Yisrael)
One cannot overestimate the importance Sh’ma Yisrael has in Jewish heritage throughout the generations.
Prayer and Liturgy
In Judaism, there are both public and private aspects of prayer. Jewish prayer is both set and spontaneous. The Talmud defines prayer as the service of the heart ( Ta’anit 2a), thus suggesting that prayer should express the deepest feelings and longings of the soul.
Through Laughter and Tears
It was 1951. I was among a handful of Midwest representatives attending NFTY's fourth annual leadership institute on the campus of Haverford College, in Haverford, Pennsylvania. We were joined by the first representative from NFTY's Southern region: SOFTY President Sandra Jacobs.
Yes, There Is a Reform Divorce Document
Today, the Reform Movement in the United States accepts civil divorce as completely dissolving the marriage and permitting the remarriage of the divorced persons. No get or any substitute form of religious divorce is required.
When My Children Became Orthodox
I was having breakfast with my husband Paul and our son Neil at our Jerusalem hotel when our older son Glen came into view. He was wearing jeans, a t-shirt, and - to our surprise as Reform Jews - a kippah.
Stress Less!: Pointers for Parents
Stay connected: Don't suddenly cut back on communication with your son or daughter after he/she has gone off to college. Being a "helicopter parent," one who hovers, has been given lots of bad press…but being a steady available non-intrusive presence from a distance can be a very good thing, even if the student shows signs of wanting less contact. An occasional call is reassuring.