Ethical Sofrut: Is My Torah or Mezuzah from a Factory Farm?
When we hear the Torah read at synagogue, we rarely think about the dozens of animals whose hides make up that sacred document. Yet every
Yonathan Reches
When we hear the Torah read at synagogue, we rarely think about the dozens of animals whose hides make up that sacred document. Yet every
In the Jewish imagination, Torah scrolls have been made in the same manner for thousands of years. We picture a white-bearded sofer (scribe) hunched over
One of the most powerful moments of Passover comes on the seventh day. That is when we read Shirat HaYam, the Song at the Sea
Here is our step-by-step guide to bring you through the process of converting to Judaism, including the different steps you’ll take.
Did you know Rosh HaShana is not the beginning of the new year? In fact, the Jewish calendar has four new years, and the beginning
Spring is in the air and Nisan is here. Nisan is called Chodesh HaAviv, or the “month of spring.” As we enter this season, many
Tired of Gefilte Fish? Try these Sephardic Passover fish recipes as an alternative to the Ashkenazic custom of gefilte fish.
Growing up, Passover was about two things for me—the seder, and not being able to eat sandwiches on bread! I have such strong memories of
The Talmud tells us, “when the month of Adar enters, we increase in joy” (Taanit 29a). This month contains the holiday of Purim, when we
It’s always daunting to kasher your own kitchen for Passover. You’re trying to live your life and cook food, you’re preparing for the holiday, and
How to Pray the Essentials: A Halakhic Morning Guide Real life is a bit more complicated than our imagination. You wake up late. Or the
When you lay tefillin, your hands are no longer free. You embody the mitzvah: straps are bound to your skin, parchment is pressed close to
When someone experiences true tragedy, it’s hard to know what to say. At a recent social event, a good friend and I shared how shocked
Zmanim, halakhic times, divide the Jewish day. They determine and inform when we can perform Jewish activities. On Friday evenings, there is a time to
Check out this list of Jewish Children’s books for Jewish Book Month, including new and old titles, for young and older kids.
This L’Dor V’Dor essay recounts the story of a family from Poland and Costa Rica and how that shaped their next generations.
This L’Dor V’Dor essay comes infused with Yiddishisms, like ziskeit, to help describe the old and the new, what used to be and what carries on
Traveling from Virginia to California, L’Dor V’Dor tells the story of a family through a tallit tale, how each generation is woven together.
The month of Kislev is all about bringing light into darkness and this month we have a reading list focused on that.
Every rabbi has a rabbi—someone who shaped them into the leader they became. For many North American Conservative rabbis, that figure is often Abraham Joshua
How does it feel to celebrate Hanukkah in Israel? I have lived in Israel for 10 years. One of the aspects I cherish most is experiencing
We tend to believe that latkes and sufganiyot have been on the Jewish table for centuries. But that notion is far removed from historical facts.
In the fifth and final piece of the rain insertions series, explore how we can relate the agricultural setting of the land of Israel to today
In the fourth installment of our series on rain insertions, discover how Amidah insertions are impacted by the lunar and Gregorian calendars.
In the third part of our series on rain insertions, take a look at why something based in the land of Israel applies in the Diaspora.
In honor of Jewish Book Month turning 100, take a look at some awesome books to add to your reading list, ranging from kids to adults.
In the second part of our series on rain insertions, explore the theology behind rain insertions and a Talmudic reading to accompany this.
In the first part of our series on the insertions to pray for rain, take a look at inserting “Mashiv HaRuach” or “Ten Tal” into the Amidah.
After the whirlwind of Tishrei, here is a calming reading list to help reflect and recenter.
After a discordant summer and the unknowns of college, Amelia Mae Heller finds stability in the routine of Kabbalat Shabbat.
Cholent (and its many variations) trace back to ancient Jewish traditions designed to provide a hot meal for Shabbat.
“Bikur holim” in Hebrew means visiting the sick. Here’s some guidance on how to do this important Mitzvah.
A Prayer for Light in Times of Darkness as we mourn the souls of Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgram, who were murdered in Washington, D.C.
Before beginning Torah study, Jewish tradition teaches us to recite a series of blessings known as Birkat HaTorah.
Did God give the fully-written Torah to Moses at Sinai? Or as the Torah compiled and edited by people? What does that mean spiritually?
How can chess overlap with teshuvah? We can focus a lot on the “best moves” to make for every situation we find ourselves in.
This story exemplifies how our rabbinic sages teach us about how we avoid using our words as fatal weapons and what happens when we fail.
Learn more about what Jewish mindfulness is and answer the question “How do I get started?” There’s many ways to practice—here are a few.
If you’ve never been in the practice of reciting Psalms, it can be overwhelming to know where to start. Here’s how to adopt the practice.
What if we rebranded tzedakah from our more modern conception of charity and giving to a rabbinic-inspired sacred spending?
How far should one go to make peace? We can learn the answer to this from looking at stories of how Aaron makes peace.
A delicate balance is required in dealing with difficult people, and the rabbis provide us a framework to explore this very question.
Remember that your home is not just a place to live but a sanctuary for your soul, a hub for community, and a legacy for the future.
Prayer is one of the most common and misunderstood parts of Jewish life. Here are five myths about Jewish prayer.
Through its symbolism, Havdalah teaches us that the boundary between sacred and the ordinary are not truly separate, but can also be fun!
No matter if we’re moving two blocks away or crossing an ocean, with only our mezuzah reminds us who we are and how to continue living.
Take charge of your Jewish learning and the Torah service can become an opportunity to know and think Jewishly more today than yesterday.
Being in community, singing with heart, by listening to the prayers, or by intending to connect with G-d are ways to lift up our experience.
Engaging in gratitude every morning for being alive is a religious habit that can contribute to a healthier and happy life.
The Shema is the twice-daily renewal of our vows, to focus on what matters in the world: love, relationship, community and the Holy.
Looking at “To Life” from “Fiddler on the Roof,” shows us how living for Shabbat can transform your whole week.
What do I do when I’m offered an aliyah to the Torah? What is it? This special honor gives us a front row seat at a 3000 year old custom.
Getting distracted during the Amidah and prayer is normal. But what do I do about it? There are a number of approaches that might work.
Interested in leading services for your community? This guide will help you, step by step, take on this amazing communal role.
Every person’s study experience with Tanakh is simultaneously unique and unifying. May we all learn and grow together in the days to come.
Our tradition mandates we pray three times a day, but why? There are 2 theories. But, we might ask: What does it mean to pray?
So the next time you hear the Torah being read, I invite you to: listen deeply, engage with the text, and let it transform you.
A short prayer, inspired by and quoting the Prophet Isaiah, connecting us to nature, the environment, and all of creation.
Heschel writes in 1973 in “Reflections on Death”: Life here and now is the task. Every moment can be an achievement.
Written by S.Y. Agnon in the Conservative Judaism Journal for those who died in the War of 1948, these words are especially fitting today.
Through using this personal kavannah, a spiritual intention, the recitation of the Sh’ma is transformed, and so am I.
Explore why Conservative Judaism changed the language of the sacrifices in the prayer book. It shows more about the Movement.
There are many blessings over food and drink. Learn how to determine what blessing to use before and after eating a meal.
Are non-kosher animals permitted for organ transplants? Rabbi Shai Cherry explains the recent teshuvah from the CJLS.
“Listener of Prayer” is an important phrase in many of our blessings and prayers. Learn more about why that is.
Learn how to hang a mezuzah, including positioning and the blessing, and some of the reasons behind why we do it this way.
Here are a few tips to celebrate Shabbat for Jewish pets and their owners and how to enhance your family’s Shabbat experience.
This an exploration of my “temple envy” through the emotions of grief, wonder, and desire for Jewish unity during a recent vacation to Nikko.
Toutes les règles habituelles de cacherout s’appliquent à Pessah, auxquelles s’ajoutent une exigence supplémentaire : l’interdiction de hamets dans une maison juive.
Todas las leyes normales de kashrut se aplican en Pesaj con un requisito adicional: la prohibición de jametz en un hogar judío.
A whoop and two challahs! Learn why doubling our loaves on Shabbat is important and how to observe this mitzvah.
A solar eclipse is certainly a unique natural event that causes us to ponder our place in the universe. What blessing do I recite?
Learn about fury and fermentation, the concept that our anger could be spiritual hametz during Pesach and all year-round.
Though the Conservative Movement has allowed eating kitniyot on Passover, many still do not. How can we incorporate kitniyot this year?
Pulling on a conversation between Stephen Colbert and Anderson Cooper about mourning, learn about how mourning can change you.
Learning what Zmanim are and why they are important can bring a new meaning to ritual practices and the routine of our days.
Rabbi Lauren Tuchman writes “Why I Love Tefillin” and explores how all people can wear tefillin, based on her own experience.
Read more on how to preform Birkat Yeladim, the blessing over our children, and where the blessing and practice come from.
Though Kiddush in synagogue is a great for connecting with community, food options can be challenging and a limiting factor for picky eaters.
This CJLS teshuva explores where and when a tallit should be worn on the bimah. This also addresses women wearing tallitot.
There are many ways to write a d’var Torah. Read how this rabbi thinks about giving divrei Torah and what she thinks about while writing.
Rabbi Artson shares his “Ani Ma’amin,” the credo that he recites every day as he things about Conservative Judaism as a dynamic force.
Seven psalms as a liturgical response to our individual and collective emotions, including grief, fear, rage, desperation, and others.
Rabbis Nicole Guzik and Erez Sherman offer a prayer for Israel. This was first offered at a vigil on October 8th, 2023.
A prayer for kidnapped Israelis by Hamas and are being held in Gaza.
Prayer for Simchat Torah War by The Rabbinical Assembly of Israel and Masorti Israel.
Prayer for the Welfare and Return of Israel’s Captured and Missing by the Rabbinical Assembly of Israel and Masorti Israel
While Judaism tells us various ways to pray, we are not told what to think: Here are three different takes on the subject.
Read the explanation of the recent teshuvah, Meatless Menu, about eating in non-kosher vegan and vegetarian restaurants.
Halakha can be used for the assessment of risk; this can be relevant for pikuach nefesh (saving a life) or kashrut.
Dig deeper into Jewish identity, memory, spirituality, and wisdom, exploring more into the question: “Why Be Jewish?”
The responsibility of sellers to enact ethical advertising of their products is equal to, if not greater than that of the careful consumer.
What special ethical concerns arise as the distinction between company owners and customers is blurred by equity investment?
Where a monopoly offers a clear benefit to consumers, Jewish tradition does sanction them on a closely regulated basis.
The laws that govern commerce aim to prevent the unscrupulous transfer of property or money from its rightful possessor to another person.
Customers share in the responsibility for ensuring that transactions are fair, and should be upfront about their intentions as consumers.
The Mishnah defines the fair price of an item, such that the seller earn a fair price, while not defrauding the buyer.
The Talmud sets a limited precedent for free market competition by balancing the rights of merchants with the interests of consumers.
The degree to which a person was obligated to contribute to the poor became the mark of membership in a community.
Fundamentally, Jewish law offers some clear guidelines responding to the problems of poverty, the best of which is to prevent poverty itself.