Wholly Jewish: Anjelica: Dia de los Muertos Meets Yom Kippur
A Little Bit of This, a Little Bit of That, But Always 100% Me
What do we all have in common?
Stories We Tell: Elijah's Gift
On the Other Hand: Ten Minutes of Torah – Mishpatim: When Judaism Calls Us to Speak Out Courageously
Parashat Mishpatim presents a full catalog of laws, rituals, observance, and obligations that guide us in living a Jewish life of moral depth and courage. But, Rabbi Rick Jacobs asks, how do we, as liberal Jews regard these laws – which of them are we obligated to observe, and how?
Does God Have a Plan for You?
After receiving bad news or experiencing a tragic event, people will sometimes respond with the words, "It's God's will." There's even a Yiddish phrase that captures the idea, "It's bashert," meaning it was meant to be.
How Shall We Bless Those Who Come After Us?
According to Jewish tradition, on the eve of Shabbat and holidays, before reciting kiddush, parents bless their children.
Parashah Chayei Sarah: Coming Together as Family
Learn how to come together as a family in this teen-friendly commentary on Chayei Sarah.
Finding Faith After the Worst Loss
The spiritual center of Parashat Vayeishev is the picture of Jacob's anguish at the end of chapter 37: Old and now settled in the land of his father, Jacob, led by his sons to believe that he has suffered what one writer calls "the worst loss"--the death of a child, is plunged into despa
Who Is This God? “Ehyeh-Asher-Ehyeh”
The Book of Exodus (Sh'mot) tells two key narratives of Jewish sacred history: the Exodus from Egypt and the gift of Torah. When they are joined to the Creation narrative of Genesis, the three stories constitute the basic theology of Judaism, which is enshrined in the blessings before and after the Sh'ma prayer.
Liberty and Freedom From Religion in America
This week's double portion, B''har/ B'chukotai includes this famous phrase that appears on the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia: "Proclaim LIBERTY Throughout all the Land unto all the Inhabitants Thereof" (Leviticus 25:10). The bell holds specialy significance for Americans, especially American Jews.