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
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
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
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.
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 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 a discordant summer and the unknowns of college, Amelia Mae Heller finds stability in the routine of Kabbalat Shabbat.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
“Listener of Prayer” is an important phrase in many of our blessings and prayers. Learn more about why that is.
A solar eclipse is certainly a unique natural event that causes us to ponder our place in the universe. What blessing do I recite?
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.
This CJLS teshuva explores where and when a tallit should be worn on the bimah. This also addresses women wearing tallitot.
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.
Dig deeper into Jewish identity, memory, spirituality, and wisdom, exploring more into the question: “Why Be Jewish?”
Saying Kaddish for a loved one is a cherished and prized custom, but it is not the only way to remember and honor the lives of loved ones.
A Talmudic Midrash obligates prayer three times a day, instituted in honor of our three patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
The Amidah is considered the central part of daily Jewish prayer, with minor variations in the text based on time of day, year and season.
Our prayers are almost always a mixture of both keva (oft-recited text) and kavanah (deeper layers of meaning).
Changes in liturgy are born out of changes in the theological and historical life of a people, both the individual and the community.
Movement acts as part of prayer, orchestrated in traditional Jewish settings, thus putting us in touch with the ebb and flow of the liturgy.
An individual, Rabbi, Cantor, or volunteer, skilled in singing and well-versed in Torah learning and liturgy, is appointed to lead prayers.
Halakhah demands that we invoke God’s name in prayer only in settings that are worthy of the sacred enterprise of prayer.
Tefillah is more than the sum of its parts and encompasses far more than the obligation to recite certain specific daily prayers.
Jews are permitted to pray in any language and thus making our liturgy a link to Jews all around the world.
By the use of set prayers, are we ipso facto guaranteeing that some will be obliged to recite words they do not find true or meaningful?
We hear from God through our participation in liturgical prayer, and also through the study of religious texts.
The Shema is the declaration of God’s uniqueness and unity that the Torah commands us to recite twice daily.
The Evening Service, called Ma’ariv (also called Arvit or spelled Maariv), is slightly longer than the Afternoon Service.
The Afternoon Service, called Minḥah (or Mincha), is much shorter than the Morning Service and has no unique components.
Every day of the year, the Morning Service follows some variation of the order of the same Sharcharit prayers.
The prayers at the very beginning of the morning service help us to start our day with intention and gratitude.
There is a wide range of specific customs related to the issue of covering the head, including what to cover it with.
The tassels of the Tallit, called tzitzit (or tzitzis) in Hebrew, are explicitly intended to serve as a reminder of God’s commandments.
While writing a teshuvah on changing our language for aliyot to kohenet from bat kohen, Rabbi David J Fine, PhD, reflects on egalitarianism.
Despite the odds, when things feel out of your control, when you feel abandoned – do not despair and do not simply pray – ACT.
There were places where the tefillin were no longer black, but nearly see-through. What they needed was a good thick coat of paint.
Rabbi Mordecai Miller reflects on the Shema with 7 questions: Throughout my life, I’ve tried to understand what this sentence really means.
Rabbi Julie Schwarzwald on wearing Tefillin: As I go about my work and my mundane routine, I am regularly reminded of what is holy.
Tefillin, ritual black boxes used for prayer, are a powerful and physical way of connecting to God. Here’s how to do it.
Jewish spirituality doesn’t live in a book. Our bodies can guide our awareness and blessing. What could this practice look like in your life?
What is the mystery of Eyn Keloheinu? How do we unravel the contradiction that seems to be present within this prayer?
Our bodies are wonderful and wondrous. Asher Yatsar helps us recognize our physical selves and offers a moment of gratitude to The Creator.
What does “Barukh HaShem” really mean? What is the origin of this phrase? If we don’t believe in God, how do we relate to the phrase?
Sara Beth Berman teaches us: Everything you need to know about clothing the body that holds your precious soul for the High Holidays.
Selichot are special prayers recited in anticipation of the High Holidays introducing us to the themes of the upcoming holidays.
The ritual preparations for the High Holidays begin a full month in advance with the onset of the month of Elul.
Being called to Torah is a moment of sacred encounter. Here’s how to call Non-Binary Jews to the Torah based on the CJLS Teshuvah in 2022.
Prayer is not just a recitation of words. But rather, prayer is an expression of a great many modes and experiences in Judaism.
T’fillah, Jewish prayer, is rooted in self-judgment, reflection, and connecting to something greater than ourselves.
Tahanun is the name for a series of penitential prayers that follow the Amidah during the Morning and Afternoon Services.
We thank God, spend time in community, sing heartily, read holy texts, and revel in rest. What can I expect at a Shabbat morning service?
Rabbi Suzanne Brody shares her poem that embraces a variety of midrashim about what happened at Sinai when we received the Torah.
The Minhah Service on Saturday Shabbat afternoon contains a number of significant additions to the weekday Afternoon Service.
Yakira Keshet offers a poem to commemorate Shavuot, her journey to Judaism, and the presence of our souls at Mount Sinai.
Friday night services on Shabbat include both Kabbalat Shabbat, a joyous recitation of psalms, and a Shabbat Maariv, the evening service.
The Sunflower on Our Seder Table by Rabbi Ilana Garber on behalf of the people in Ukraine in 2022.
All Who Are Hungry: A Prayer for Action, A Prayer for Ukraine by Rabbi Mark Greenspan on behalf of the people in Ukraine in 2022.
Dedication for the First Cup of Wine at the Passover Seder by Rabbi Martin S. Cohen on behalf of the people in Ukraine in 2022.