Rituals | JLDR

Guest Blogger in Lilith · 29 Oct

In this thought-provoking poem, the author explores the tension between patriarchal Jewish tradition and the subversive spiritual practices of women, often labeled pejoratively as witchcraft.

0 Culture Holidays

Designing with intention: The sukkah as a relational sanctuary

eJewishPhilanthropy · 16 Oct

The article explores the concept of the sukkah during Sukkot as a space for intentional connection and healing amidst modern challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic.

0 Culture Holidays

The mystical reason why Jews put rocks on top of gravestones

Rabbi Daniel Cohen in Forward · 1 Oct

The tradition of placing stones on Jewish graves is deeper than merely marking a visit.

0 Holidays Leadership

Tashlich in the Rain

Chabad.org · 30 Sep

During a Rosh Hashanah event, the Rebbe faced unexpected obstacles when locked gates barred entry to Brooklyn’s Botanical Gardens, where Tashlich was traditionally performed.

0 Culture Jewish Law

Of Torahs and Children

Harvey E. Goldberg in Jewish Review of Books · 30 Sep

The article delves into the symbolic intertwining of Torah and children, particularly through the lens of Ashkenazi minhag (customs).

0 Gender/Identity Communities

I Never Thought I Would Turn to Religion for Anything. Then I Had a Stillbirth.

Antonia Mitchell in Kveller · 25 Sep

Antonia Mitchell shares a deeply personal narrative of grappling with the stillbirth of her daughter, Shoshana, and the unexpected solace she found in Jewish rituals and community support.

0 Holidays Culture

6 Ways to Observe the Anniversary of October 7 at the High Holidays

Kveller Staff in Kveller · 24 Sep

With Rosh Hashanah approaching on October 2nd, just days before the first anniversary of the October 7 attack in Israel, the High Holidays hold added significance this year.

0 Culture Communities

Help Me Pick an Upsherin (Jewish Haircut) Dress!

My Jewish Mommy Life · 23 Sep

The video offers a personal glimpse into the process of preparing for a traditional Jewish haircut ceremony known as the 'Upsherin', typically performed when a boy turns three.

0 Television/Film Culture

Jewish Film Review | ‘Between the Temples’

Andy Freedman in Moment · 5 Sep

Between the Temples is a thought-provoking comedic film directed by Nathan Silver, featuring Jason Schwartzman as Ben, a grieving cantor struggling with the loss of his wife.

0 Culture Jewish Law

Adventures With Blay Vaks: Dorm-Room Rituals Against the Evil Eye

Leonora Tepper in New Voices · 17 Jun

The text discusses the author's belief in the Evil Eye, which they see as affecting people through speech and glances, and their use of a ritual called Blay Vaks to counteract it.

0 Culture Jewish Law

Why a child's first haircut may be Judaism's sweetest ritual

David Zvi Kalman in Forward · 24 May

The article discusses the Jewish ritual of upsherin, where 3-year-old boys receive their first haircut in a ceremony that symbolizes the transition from infancy to childhood.

0 Israel Holidays

For many Israelis this Passover, celebrating the Festival of Freedom feels impossible

Deborah Danan in JTA · 19 Apr

Many Israeli families, including those who have loved ones held hostage, are finding it difficult to celebrate Passover this year due to feelings of sadness and frustration over the captivity of their relatives by Hamas.

0 Philosophy Jewish Law

Obligation

Elana Stein Hain in Sources · 5 Apr

This article explores the concept of obligation within Judaism, emphasizing how communal responsibility shapes the Jewish covenant with God and future generations.

0 Communities Prayer

The Virtues of a Virtual Minyan

Jennifer Bleyer in Tablet · 2 Feb

The author discusses their experience of saying Kaddish, the Jewish prayer for mourners, after the death of their father and mother.

0 Jewish Law Communities

When Judaism didn’t offer rituals for a stillbirth, a grieving couple created their own

Jackie Hajdenberg in JTA · 30 Jan

Rabbi Ilan and Sherri Glazer experienced the loss of their baby, Shemaryah, through stillbirth.

0 Jewish Law Communities

Conservative movement maintains its ban on officiating at intermarriages but urges its rabbis to engage more with interfaith families

Jacob Gurvis in Forward · 29 Jan

The Conservative movement has issued a report maintaining its ban on officiating interfaith weddings but recommending changes to make the movement more open to interfaith families.

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Profound and Pious

Alter Yisrael Shimon Feuerman in Tablet · 22 Dec 2022

Abraham Joshua Heschel, a renowned Jewish theologian, had a casual family visit with the author's parents in 1959.

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Surprised by Joy

Ben Greenfield in Tablet · 15 Dec 2022

This article discusses the unique nature of Hanukkah as a Jewish holiday that lacks a preparatory period or ritual.

0 Holidays Prayer

Glamping With God

Lisa J. Wise in Tablet · 3 Oct 2022

A personal reflection is shared about confronting mortality and undergoing medical tests, juxtaposed with the symbolism of Sukkot and its lessons of impermanence and vulnerability.

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Holding on to His Hummus

Jamie Betesh Carter in Tablet · 9 Dec 2021

This personal essay explores the author's relationship with her father and his homemade hummus as he battles stage 3 lung cancer.

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On This Night, Let Us Light

Rokhl Kafrissen in Tablet · 24 Nov 2021

The author explores the significance of candles in various Jewish rituals and traditions.

0 Communities Politics

Can Synagogues Revitalize American Democracy?

Michael G. Holzman in Sources · 19 Sep 2021

The article explores the potential role of synagogues in revitalizing American democracy by engaging rituals, spiritual intentions, and communal bonds to encourage civic engagement and political discourse.

0 Jewish Law Gender/Identity

‘In the Torah, name changes signify moments of transformation.’ In the lives of transgender Jews, they are just as powerful

Forward · 30 Apr 2020

Jewish name changes reflect pivotal identity shifts, as evidenced in the Torah with figures like Avraham and Yisrael.

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The Exodus, America’s Ever-Present Inspiration

Stuart Halpern in Lehrhaus · 13 Apr 2020

Throughout American history, the story of the Exodus has provided inspiration during times of uncertainty, danger, and hardship.

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A Long-Forgotten Jewish Remedy for the Coronavirus Outbreak

Jeremy Brown in Lehrhaus · 11 Feb 2020

During past pandemic outbreaks like the 1918 influenza, the Jewish community practiced a unique remedy called the Black Wedding, marrying impoverished individuals in a cemetery to avert the deadly disease with communal support and the hope for divine intervention.

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Tag: Rituals