"A Look at the Jewish Year", a new series from the National Library of Israel and the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies, includes three videos highlighting core texts and concepts surrounding the holidays in the Jewish month of Tishrei, as well as source...

There are many explanations for fasting on Yom Kippur, some Talmudic and others more spiritual. A form of self-denial, fasting is believed to bring us closer to G-d and more in touch with ourselves.  My brother-in-law Mark Gutman, who has been reading...

Maqam Bayat. Every Shabbat is associated with a musical figure, a maqam, Arabic cognate of maqom signifying “place.” This is the last day of my life, Moshe Rabbeinu said, and he went and spoke these words to all Israel: “I’m not going out,...

This week, we read from Parshah Nitzavim, the same parshah we read on Yom Kippur morning. We are near the end of the book of Deuteronomy, as well as the death of Moshe rabbeinu, Moses our teacher. Even though the end of the Torah is near, Moses continues...

This new Maccabeats parody for Rosh Hashanah is short but very, very sweet. For the Jewish New Year, which starts on the evening of September 6 this year, the beloved Jewish a cappella band jumped on a popular TikTok challenge — #gracekellychallenge...

Leyla and Erman Kaspi are Jews from Turkey who I recently met outside the elevator of our Chicago apartment complex. After the usual introductions, I asked Leyla whether she still cooks the dishes with which she grew up. “Of course,” she exclaimed. That...

Rosh Hashanah is a time when Jews reflect on their actions and try to make amends with each other and God, and it is also the Jewish New Year. How much do you know about Rosh Hashanah? /**/

This year, Congregation Shaare Emeth is offering a "hybrid High Holidays" schedule that will offer three unique worship experiences for participants – indoor services, covered outdoor services and live streaming – throughout Rosh Hashanah, which starts...