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A nonprofit, independent news source to inform, inspire, educate and connect the St. Louis Jewish community.

St. Louis Jewish Light

A nonprofit, independent news source to inform, inspire, educate and connect the St. Louis Jewish community.

St. Louis Jewish Light

A nonprofit, independent news source to inform, inspire, educate and connect the St. Louis Jewish community.

St. Louis Jewish Light

Jewish Holidays

9 things you probably didn’t know about Yom Kippur

9 things you probably didn’t know about Yom Kippur

By MJL Staff, My Jewish Learning via JTAPublished October 3, 2022

Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement, starts at sundown on Friday, October. 11. Traditionally one of the most somber days on the Jewish calendar, it’s known for fasting and repentance — not to mention killer caffeine withdrawal headaches. However,...

Postcard with a family of four gathered around a table saying prayers wearing white garments. 

Courtesy of the Jewish Museum London

The hidden history of the Kittel

Leora Krygier, Jewish Women's Archive, Special For The Jewish LightPublished September 29, 2022

Each year before the High Holidays, my grandmother washed and ironed my father and grandfather’s kittels, the plain, white, robe-like garments that men wear for Yom Kippur and the Passover seder. She didn’t trust the washer and dryer with...

What does Judaism actually say about forgiveness?

Adam B. Cohen, Arizona State University, Special For The Jewish LightPublished September 29, 2022

The Jewish High Holidays are fast approaching: Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. While the first really commemorates the creation of the world, Jews view both holidays as a chance to reflect on our shortcomings, make amends and seek forgiveness, both from...

10 things you need to know about Yom Kippur

10 things you need to know about Yom Kippur

By Abigail Klein Leichman, Israel21cPublished September 28, 2022
On the Day of Atonement, Jews across the world pray and fast. For secular and non-Jewish Israelis alike, it’s a unique holiday without cars or commerce.
Is Rosh Hashanah a serious day or not?

Is Rosh Hashanah a serious day or not?

Mimi David, Special For The Jewish LightPublished September 22, 2022

Rosh Hashanah can seem confusing. On one hand, we know it is the Day of Judgment, a day on which the future of every human being and really of the entire world is discerned.   On the other hand, it is a day of celebration. We wear our nicest clothes,...

Rosh Hashanah greetings

‘Mazel tov on assimilating:’ The strange, rich history of Rosh Hashanah advertisements

By Yael Buechler, The ForwardPublished September 22, 2022
In the postwar years, as the American Jewish community underwent dramatic changes, Rosh Hashanah greetings became a surprising marketing trend.
Chabad of Chesterfield transformed a pavilion in Chesterfield’s Central Park into a Shofar Factory on Sunday, helping participants craft their own horn instrument and learn the traditional sequence of notes sounded on Rosh Hashanah. Photo: Bill Motchan

No place to go for Rosh Hashanah? No problem.

Published September 22, 2022

To help ensure that every Jew in St. Louis can celebrate the holiday, Chabad of Greater St. Louis is once again hosting "Shofar in the Park," a community-wide initiative that includes 30-minute Rosh Hashanah celebrations across the region. The family-friendly...

Brisket

15 scrumpdillyicious brisket recipes from the Jewish Light archives

Jordan Palmer, Chief Digital Content OfficerPublished September 22, 2022

For many, brisket is the epitome of "Jewish food." In fact, last year brisket edged out bagels in our "Jewish Food March Madness" tournament. Like many popular Jewish foods, brisket worked its way into the cuisine because of its low cost and the fact...

How not to ask for time off on the Jewish holidays

How not to ask for time off on the Jewish holidays

By ELI GOTTLIEB, JTAPublished September 21, 2022

(JTA) — “Hey Allies: Please don’t schedule meetings or events on the Jewish holidays!” So says a meme that has circulated widely before about the dates for Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot and Simchat Torah. Seems like a pretty harmless and...

Shannon Sarna

Why American Jews Eat Brisket on Rosh Hashanah

Joanna O'Leary, MyJewishLearningPublished September 21, 2022

This September, many Jews across the United States will bring in the new year by feasting on a juicy, glistening brisket. But what led this dish to ascend as the star of the Rosh Hashanah meals in America? New Year’s brisket is a story of ingenuity,...

Understanding the High Holiday prayer meant to strike fear in us

Understanding the High Holiday prayer meant to strike fear in us

CANTOR MATT AXELROD, My Jewish LearningPublished September 21, 2022

The Uneh Taneh Tokef prayer, which we recite on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur is some people’s least favorite prayer in all of Jewish liturgy. "This is the prayer that implies G-d decides who shall live and who shall die in the coming year," said...

Three ways to give smarter during the High Holy Days

Three ways to give smarter during the High Holy Days

By Buckingham Wealth Advisor John Corn, CPA, PFS, Special For The Jewish LightPublished September 20, 2022

The High Holy Days are just around the corner. Some of my fondest childhood memories involve spending time with family, listening to the sounds of the Shofar, devouring apples dipped in honey and overloading on challah. As we get older, many of us begin...

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