How can we help children cope with natural disasters?
Hearing about and seeing images of people weeping, clutching loved ones in relief or in grief while standing in front of devastated homes and schools evokes painful feelings of sadness, fear and helplessness.
Why Do We Light Two Candles at the Beginning of Shabbat?
The traditional practice is to light two candles on Shabbat.
Does listening to a podcast count as study? Is it OK to say the blessing if I’m listening to commentary without reading or hearing the Torah portion?
Listening to the podcast definitely counts as Torah study. It’s an opportunity to learn a bit of Torah and start to think about the weekly Torah while also incorporating some modern-day thinking into the traditional message.
How do Reform congregations commemorate Kristallnacht?
Kristallnacht, which literally means, “the night of broken glass,” occurred on the night of November 9, 1938, and marks the beginning of the Holocaust. On Kristallnacht, Jewish homes, synagogues, and businesses were destroyed by the Nazis and the streets in Germany and Nazi-occupied Europe were covered with glass from the shattered windows of synagogues, Jewish homes, and businesses.
Do Reform Jews Believe in the Messiah?
In the Jewish prayer book, the siddur, there are references to an “end of days”: the Temple in Jerusalem will be rebuilt, the dead who were righteous will be resurrected, and a figure known as the Messiah, or in Hebrew the Moshiach, will restore Israel to new-found glory.
I have a chai pendant that I love because it was a bat mitzvah gift. But what does “chai” mean and why is it such a popular Jewish symbol?
What does chai mean, and why is it such an important Jewish symbol?
Why do some Jews say “l'chayim” when making a toast? What does the word actually mean?
“L'chayim,” means “to life,” and is a classic Jewish toast.
Why do Jews give gifts and charitable donations in multiples of 18?
What is the significance of the number 18 in Judaism?
What is a Hamsa? Is it a Jewish Symbol, a Middle Eastern Symbol, or Something Else?
The hamsa is a palm-shaped symbol historically used by both Jews and Muslims in Arab countries as an amulet to ward off evil forces, particularly the “evil eye.”
How Are Hebrew Names Formatted?
We talk about the customary format for Jewish or Hebrew names, plus options for individuals who do not use gendered designations.