Rosh Hodesh Kislev: Nov.-Dec.

Starry night sky with a crescent moon and wispy clouds in green and yellow hues.

The first of each Jewish month—the celebration of the new moon, its slender crescent barely visible in the night sky—is a day historically associated with women’s renewal and celebration. In recent decades, Rosh Hodesh has become an occasion for Jewish women to gather for learning, ritual, and spiritual exploration, and to mark life passages. Rosh Hodesh groups, meeting monthly, offer a women’s space in time. (Some men’s gatherings have begun as well, sometimes associated with kiddush levanah, celebrating the coming full moon.)

Latest Rituals

“The month of Kislev calls us to welcome the darkness, to welcome the darkness, as a friend, a teacher, a guide.”
Silhouetted branches and birds against a blurred, glowing sunset sky.
A teaching and meditation to enter the month of Kislev
A clear night sky filled with stars above dark silhouettes of hills and a small lit building.
“Even the angels must bend down, melt the snow in their hands / to smell its sweet fragrance.”
Close-up of a white rose with dew drops on its petals.
“For eight days Light cries /out to you, assures you / it is safe now…”
Floating candles glowing in a glass menorah against a dark background.
This poem emerged from an exploration of the component words of Kislev: kis (pocket) and lev (heart)
smiling asian kid with black long hair holding a glowing heart that appears to be made out of wire with glowing lights in the background

Audio/video shiviti meditation chant

Full moon against a dark, star-filled night sky.

New moon meditation

Ritualwell Tradition & Innovation logo placeholder

“The new moon is a new universe for women”

Ritualwell Tradition & Innovation logo placeholder

Rosh Hodesh winter healing circle script

Ritualwell Tradition & Innovation logo placeholder

A song for the new moon

Crescent moon in a twilight sky over a vast grassy plain, with distant mountain silhouettes on the horizon.

The Reconstructionist Network

Serving as central organization of the Reconstructionist movement

Training the next generation of groundbreaking rabbis

Modeling respectful conversations on pressing Jewish issues

Curating original, Jewish rituals, and convening Jewish creatives

Get the latest from Ritualwell

Subscribe for the latest rituals, online learning opportunities, and unique Judaica finds from our store.

The Reconstructionist Network