Category: Learning

Similar Yet Different

The latest L'Dor V'Dor essay explores how similar yet different the lives of a granddaughter and a grandmother are.

Modeling for the Future

In the latest L'Dor V'Dor submission, a grandson reflects on his grandfather's modeling of Judaism for his family and how he will do the same

Three Generations, One Parsha

Three generations, a grandmother, a father, and a son, each had the same parasha for their Bnai Mitzvot, sharing here what that meant.

Baubie

The latest L'Dor V'Dor explores a granddaughter's relationship with her Baubie and how that impacts her Judaism.

My Family’s Jewish Journey

In the next L'Dor V'dor Essay, tenth grader Emerson Blum shares about his family's Jewish journey, leading through his own.

Introducing My Jewish Family

Introducing the modern Jewish family means a rich, interwoven tapestry of different stories and customs, changing within generations.

Every Part of The Future

In an essay for the L'Dor V'Dor contest, Ava Ehrlich explores what it means to be the future and to carry on her grandmother's legacy. ...

Seth Golob: L’Dor V’Dor

In another essay for the L'Dor V'Dor contest, Seth Golob shares about his family's history and what passing down Jewish pride means to him.

Ziskeit

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 ...

From Virginia to California: A Tallit Tale

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 L’Dor V’Dor of Dementia: Two Words Help Two Generations Face Catastrophe

Seeking out the L'Dor V'Dor of Dementia can help bring some guidance to families going through this; these two words can help two generations.

The Rabbi of My Rabbi: Marshall Meyer and the Birth of Conservative Judaism in Latin America

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 ...

Let the Tarmoda’i See: Hanukkah Candlelighting As Resistance

On Hanukkah we recall the story of the Maccabees. A small group of freedom fighters overcame the oppressive forces of the Syrian Greeks under King ...

Two Generations Apart, Yet So Close

The Torah advises the young to “Remember the days of old; reflect upon the years of other generations” (Deuteronomy 32:7). As a writer of historical ...

Echoes of Legacies

In evaluating Parashat Hayyei Sarah, Rachel Cohn evaluates the echoes of legacies and how past lives continue living.

Jewish Book Month Turns 100!

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 ...

Snapshot of Three Generations

In an essay for the inaugural L'Dor V'Dor essay contest, Mandi Gross explores what it means to capture a snapshot of three generations.

A Cheshvan Reading List

After the whirlwind of Tishrei, here is a calming reading list to help reflect and recenter.

The Jewish Family: Signs of Early-Stage Dementia in a Parent

Through Torah and Jewish values, we can learn more about supporting the family when a parent is diagnosed with early stage dementia.

Are We Allowed to Wear Weapons on Shabbat?

In asking the question "Are we allowed to wear weapons on Shabbat?", we can explore a rabbinic controversy between fashion and ferocity.
Too Many People Walk Alone

Too Many People Walk Alone

Walking together into difficulty, rather than alone, is a focal point of parashat Vayera, where God commands Abraham to do the impossible.

Go Forth: A Journey of Courage and Becoming

There is a story told about Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotzk, the fiery Kotzker Rebbe. A student once came to him, restless and uncertain. “Rebbe,” ...

Senior Sermon: Parashat Noach on Migdal Bavel

Originally given as a senior sermon at JTS. My whole life, I’ve loved to tell the story of who I am and the family I ...

How Creatures Emulate God

In her senior rabbinical school sermon for JTS, Sarah Rockford explores Parashat Bereishit and how creatures emulate God.
Teshuvah Summary: Medical and Recreational Cannabis Usage

Teshuvah Summary: Medical and Recreational Cannabis Usage

What is the halakhic and Jewish ethical status of consuming, possessing, and selling cannabis for both medical and recreational purposes?
Doorpost Missing Mezuzah

Was Korach So Bad?

There are rebels in the Torah. There were rebels against the cultures and norms of the time. Avraham and Sarah rejected polytheism, Yehoshua and Caleb ...
Pink Pin Hebrew Female

Hebrew Pronoun Pins: Pinpointing the Why

Why are pronoun pins helpful and why did we make these Hebrew pins? How might they create more welcoming Jewish spaces?
What is Bikur Holim, Visiting the Sick? Why is it Important?

What is Bikur Holim, Visiting the Sick? Why is it Important?

“Bikur holim” in Hebrew means visiting the sick. Here's some guidance on how to do this important Mitzvah.
The Why of Torah is Torah: Our Need for Torah Lishmah

The Why of Torah is Torah: Our Need for Torah Lishmah

Torah Lishmah or How can we take Torah out of the capitalist framework we live in that pushes us to use all our time “productively?” 
Opportunity to Connect Deeper Why We Learn Torah

Opportunity to Connect Deeper: Why We Learn Torah

When I study Torah, I always do two things: 1. I ask myself, how did what I just read apply to my life? 2. I ...

You’re Already in the Story: An Invitation to Learn Torah

So, why learn Torah? Because you’re already asking big questions. And more than that, you’re already in the story.
Birkat HaTorah: The Blessing for Engaging with Torah

Birkat HaTorah: The Blessing for Engaging with Torah

Before beginning Torah study, Jewish tradition teaches us to recite a series of blessings known as Birkat HaTorah.
Devastation and Joy: AI and the Soul of Torah

Devastation and Joy: AI and the Soul of Torah

We learn Torah because it gives us purpose and mitzvot, AI tools can help that, but it cannot replace it or our humanity.
Torah as Inspiration for Life

Torah as Inspiration for Life: Why Learn Torah

Torah is a wellspring of meaning that inspires every part of life, from decision-making, to how to treat others, and basis of our values.

What It Means Spiritually If People Edited the Torah

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?
A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Torah

A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Torah

How do you get started learning Torah? Where do you even begin? I have four recommendations for you that will help you get going.
What Medicines May One Take During Pesah?

What Medicines May One Take During Pesah?

If medicine is not food, why should there be any restrictions on taking it during Pesah? The question arises because although medicine is not food, ...
The Power of Intentional Revelation

The Power of Intentional Revelation

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Yu2a34PttAOriginally given as a senior sermon at JTS. I was six years old when I went thrift shopping for the perfect red button-up sweater to play ...

When God Revealed Themself

There are various ways to look at God's revelation at Sinai, including as a "coming out." Read Ariel Dunat's JTS senior sermon on this.

Trusting the Process of the Journey

Parshat Bo is about trusting the process of the journey put in front of you. Learn more in Alicia Rothamel's Senior Sermon at JTS.

How Far Should One Go to Make Peace?

How far should one go to make peace? We can learn the answer to this from looking at stories of how Aaron makes peace.
Balancing Torah Study and Worldly Engagement Can it work

Balancing Torah Study and Worldly Engagement: Can it work?

You can find a harmonious existence where Torah study enriches your engagement with the world and the world inspires your spiritual growth.
Pharaoh’s Hardened Heart and the Nature of Free Will 

Pharaoh’s Hardened Heart and the Nature of Free Will

Free will gives us a lot of responsibility. But the sages teach we're still able to make mistakes and the teshuvah to repair them.
How to Deal With Difficult People

How to Deal With Difficult People

A delicate balance is required in dealing with difficult people, and the rabbis provide us a framework to explore this very question.
Food in the Talmud A Window Into a Distant Past

Food in the Talmud: A Window Into a Distant Past

Food is a way to discover layers of knowledge, connect to an ancient memory, and an invitation to revisit the lives of our distant ancestors.
Balancing Work and Faith: The Dilemma of Modern Jewish Life

Balancing Work and Faith: The Dilemma of Modern Jewish Life

Through thoughtful choices, self-reflection, and a commitment to growth, we can balance our professional obligations and spiritual practices.
Educational Milestones are Jewish Moments

Educational Milestones are Jewish Moments

Celebrating educational milestones as Jewish moments, we pass on a legacy, linking their achievements to generations past and future.
What’s the deal with electricity on Shabbat?

What’s the deal with electricity on Shabbat?

Why is electricity such a complicated issue when it comes to Shabbat? What are the considerations? How can I learn more about it?
Lech Lecha: Weaving the Bonds of Trust and Loyalty

Lech Lecha: Weaving the Bonds of Trust and Loyalty

This portion reveals the intricate layers of psychological conflicts, while revealing the love, loyalty, and trust that exist amongst us.
Does God Punish us Looking Deeper at Deuteronomy's Theology

Does God Punish Us? Looking Deeper at Deuteronomy’s Theology

Unpacking Deuteronomy's Theology: How could such a loving God allow us to suffer? Does God want us to suffer? Is it a punishment?
Gathering Stones: How to be a Morah Derekh

Gathering Stones: How to be a Morah Derekh

Stones represent the memories and wisdom gathered from living our lives. Each affirms that moment and its worthiness of being remembered.
How Will You Embody Hope?

How Will You Embody Hope?

We are the inheritors of Moses and Miriam and all the generations of Hebrews and Jews who came before us and every bit of hope ...
An Invitation to Approach

An Invitation to Approach

Prayer is God’s constant invitation to approach. An opportunity to our deepen relationships with God and ourselves, by sharing how we feel.
What is feminist Torah and how do we do it?

What is feminist Torah and how do we do it?

Feminist Torah is an approach to how we relate to Torah and a set of commitments about which Torah to draw from in our teaching ...
“Peace is Great!” A Challenging Jewish Teaching

“Peace is Great!”  A Challenging Jewish Teaching

Achieving true peace here on earth is a tremendous task which we can fully accomplish only when we have God pushing us to do so.
The Dignity of Self-Definition

The Dignity of Self-Definition

We can choose, in our relationships, to see others as if through G-d’s eyes. This helps us be less alone and to see one another's ...
Fat Liberation in Gan Eden

Fat Liberation in Gan Eden

God created humans with naked bodies and no shame. Now, we live in a world that wants us to forget that we were made in ...
Our Proselytizing Ancestors: Three Tools for Holding Conviction in Mixed Company

Our Proselytizing Ancestors: Three Tools for Holding Conviction in Mixed Company

Sasson Brown, RS '25, speaks on the unexpected act of Abraham and Sarah's proselytizing and the lessons we can learn from it.
How to Get the Get (A Jewish Divorce) and Why It Matters

How to Get the Get (A Jewish Divorce) and Why It Matters

The Get or “decree of divorce,” plays a fundamental role in the Jewish life cycle of a couple whose marriage has come to an end ...
Tanakh Yomi: The Beauty Of Daily Study

Tanakh Yomi: The Beauty Of Daily Study

Every person’s study experience with Tanakh is simultaneously unique and unifying. May we all learn and grow together in the days to come.
A Talmudic Reading Of The High Holiday Prayer Un’taneh Tokef

A Talmudic Reading Of The High Holiday Prayer Un’taneh Tokef

Un'taneh Tokef: What makes this prayer so attractive? Could it be the poignant question, “Who will live and who will die?”
Reflections on Death (1973)

Reflections on Death (1973)

Heschel writes in 1973 in "Reflections on Death": Life here and now is the task. Every moment can be an achievement.
Introduction to the Kaddish: For Those who Died in the Israeli War (1957)

Introduction to the Kaddish: For Those who Died in the Israeli War (1957)

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.
כיצד ראוי לחגוג את שמחת תורה בשנת תשפ״ה?

?כיצד ראוי לחגוג את שמחת תורה בשנת תשפ״ה

חווינו אחד מן האסונות הגדולים ביותר בתולדות המדינה, ומאז, כיצד ראוי לחגוג את שמחת תורה בשנת תשפ״ה?
How to Appropriately Celebrate Simchat Torah in 5785

How to Appropriately Celebrate Simchat Torah in 5785

With the ongoing tragedy of October 7th and the ongoing hostage situation and war, how do we appropriately celebrate Simchat Torah in 5785?

High Holiday Liturgy: Making Meaning from the Metaphors for God

By understanding the nuance of Divine justice, we are given a powerful model for healthier relationships in the human realm.
How To Live A Morally Good Life

How To Live A Morally Good Life

The moral life, with its choices, its responsibilities, its missteps, and its modes of repair, is an integral part of what it means to be ...
How To Get Religious Accommodations At Work

How To Get Religious Accommodations At Work

Want to know your rights as a Jew in the workplace? Need religious accommodations? Find out what your rights are and how to exercise them.

Why We Study Mishnah To Grieve Someone Who Has Died

There is a custom of learning and reciting chapters of Mishnah as part of the mourning process. Where does this come from? How does this ...
Medieval Musings on the Emotional Content of a Fast

Medieval Musings on the Emotional Content of a Fast

Can we do work and labor on Tisha B'av? What role do our emotions play in that? The Medieval posek Terumat HaDeshen has an answer.
Why Conservative Judaism Changed Sacrifices in the Prayer Book

Why Conservative Judaism Changed Sacrifices in the Prayer Book

Explore why Conservative Judaism changed the language of the sacrifices in the prayer book. It shows more about the Movement.
On Changes in Judaism Frankel

On Changes in Judaism (1845)

Rabbi Zecharias Frankel in 1845 explores the nature of Judaism as it faces progress and highlights the nature of change in Judaism.
Are Non-Kosher Animals Permitted for Organ Transplants?

Are Non-Kosher Animals Permitted for Organ Transplants?

Are non-kosher animals permitted for organ transplants? Rabbi Shai Cherry explains the recent teshuvah from the CJLS.
The Jewish Status of a Child Born Using a Gestational Carrier

The Jewish Status of a Child Born Using a Gestational Carrier

In a recent teshuvah, the CJLS answers the question, "what is the Jewish status of a child born using a gestational carrier?"

Democracy in Post-Biblical Judaism (1948)

Rabbi Greenberg writes, many ideas matured in rabbinic thought, particularly "group of ethical values usually associated with the concept of Democracy."
The Biblical Basis of Democracy (1948)

The Biblical Basis of Democracy (1948)

Rabbi Gordis writes, "the main current of Biblical thought and Jewish tradition is fundamentally democratic..."
Tisha B'av in Rome 1949

Tisha Be-Av In Rome, Under the Arch of Titus (1949)

Rabbi Abramowitz z''l: "...Tish'a be-Av amid the ruins of the Roman Empire [was] fraught with inner meaning and significance...in 1948"
Marriage As Mitzvah

Marriage As Mitzvah

Jews see marriage as mitzvah based on biblical and rabbinic texts. Marriage is seen as important for spirituality and closeness with God.
Shabbat for Jewish Pets and Their Owners

Shabbat for Jewish Pets and Their Owners

Here are a few tips to celebrate Shabbat for Jewish pets and their owners and how to enhance your family's Shabbat experience.

Shavuot 5784: Tiny Tikkun

Shavuot is often considered a holiday of converts. Our Tiny Tikkun collects some texts on conversion to study with a friend or on your own.
Common Terms in Torah Study

Common Terms in Torah Study

The Exploring Judaism team has prepared this printable sheet of common terms you might encounter in your Torah study that might help you out.
Temple Envy

Temple Envy

This an exploration of my "temple envy" through the emotions of grief, wonder, and desire for Jewish unity during a recent vacation to Nikko.

Ten Torah Resources You Should Know

Here are our top ten Torah resources you should know, including Conservative/Masorti organizations and resources for kids and families!
Yom Ha-Atzma'ut: Sow With Tears, Reap with Joy

Yom Ha-Atzma’ut: Sow With Tears, Reap with Joy

Yom Ha-Atzma’ut in 2024, as in 1948, is a time of rejoicing and weeping. Just as then, today, too, we have much work ahead.
What blessing do I recite over an eclipse?

What blessing do I recite over an eclipse?

A solar eclipse is certainly a unique natural event that causes us to ponder our place in the universe. What blessing do I recite?
Parashat Ki Tisa: On Relationships with God and Other Human Beings

On Relationships with God and Other Human Beings

Ilana Sandberg (JTS RS '24) explores parashat Ki Tisa and speaks on relationships with God and other human beings.
Parashat Mishpatim: The Torah of Disorienting Moments

The Torah of Disorienting Moments

Talia Kaplan (JTS RS '24) explores parashat Mishpatim and the Torah of disorienting moments, reflecting on her rabbinical school experience.
Parashat Yitro: Binding Love and Loss

Binding Love and Loss

Amalya Volz (JTS RS '24) explores Parashat Yitro through the binding of love and loss and the people of Israel's relationship with God.
Charlton Heston Speaking

Charlton Heston Speaking

We can learn about leadership from Moses, as well as from Charlton Heston speaking, as he plays Moses in the Ten Commandments movie.
The Mitzvah of Environmental Sustainability

The Mitzvah of Environmental Sustainability

What does Judaism say about environmental sustainability? Yishuv Ha'olam is the mitzvah to build and maintain a sustainable world.
Women and Headcovering

Women and Headcovering

In a written teshuvah, Rabbi Jane Kanarek explains the answer to the question, "Should women and girls wear a headcovering?"
Tallit on the Bimah: Optional or Required?

Tallit on the Bimah: Optional or Required?

This CJLS teshuva explores where and when a tallit should be worn on the bimah. This also addresses women wearing tallitot.
How to Write a D’var Torah

How to Write a D’var Torah

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.
Being a Conservative Jew in Jerusalem

A Conservative Jew in Jerusalem

What is it like being a Conservative Jew in Jerusalem and how do we understand the holiness of the holiest place in the world?
Ani Ma'amin: Conservative Judaism as a Dynamic Force

Ani Ma’amin: Conservative Judaism as a Dynamic Force

Rabbi Artson shares his "Ani Ma'amin," the credo that he recites every day as he things about Conservative Judaism as a dynamic force.
What does Judaism say about abortion

What does Judaism say about Abortion?

An overview of what Judaism says about abortion based on the decisions and analysis of the Rabbinical Assembly.
Elevating the Matriarchs, and the Women, in Judaism

Elevating the Matriarchs, and the Women, in Judaism

Elevating the Matriarchs is important. Rabbi Goodman encourages this with a midrash on Parashat Shemini, urging that representation matters.
Finding Quiet Solace in a Stormy World

Finding Quiet Solace in a Stormy World

Caleb Brommer, RS '24, speaks on finding quiet solace in a stormy world, for his JTS senior sermon, on Parashat Vayishlach.
Psalms for this Time of Crisis in Israel

Psalms for this Time of Crisis in Israel

Seven psalms as a liturgical response to our individual and collective emotions, including grief, fear, rage, desperation, and others.
Violence in Israel: Self-Care and Mental Health

Violence in Israel: Self-Care and Mental Health

The bombing at Hebrew University was a transition moment in my life. I got by for about a month and then started to break down. ...