Blog

Jenny Ferentz, a counselor at Camp JRF, reflects on what makes the celebration of Shabbat at camp so special…

There are all kinds of ways to make something special, and mark the passage of time. Let us know yours.

Life cycle rituals are not fixed experiences—even when the text and ceremony stays the same.

I’m not good at transitions, but there is comfort in knowing that even when things are “new-ish,” I never really have to go through them alone. 

It took the recitation of Yizkor on Memorial Day to remind me of this important fact: it is incumbent on me as a citizen to take time to reflect and remember.  

I pray that I continue to remember to prioritize both my spiritual and physical sustenance each and every day, even if only for the amount of time that it takes to recite a simple blessing. 

I think of the Omer—this period of time we are now in the midst of—as learning to count, learning to wait.

Spring Break is often a time for beach parties and fun in the sun, but for many students on college campuses throughout America, Spring Break is increasingly a time for serving our communities and our earth through immersive service-learning experiences. 

Yom HaZikaron cannot only be about our own pain, for we will continue to hurt as long as others hurt.

This practice of counting, of singling out each day, also serves as a reminder to make each and every day count.