Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, falls ten days after Rosh Hashanah. When the Temple stood in Jerusalem, the High Priest effected atonement for the entire people through an elaborate ritual. Today, in the absence of the Temple, each of us stands, alone, together, naked as it were, before God. Yom Kippur is the dramatic culmination of the entire season of teshuvah, repentance. On Yom Kippur, Jews abstain from eating, drinking, bathing, sexual relations, and the wearing of leather (a sign of luxury) for 25 hours. Jews dress in white and traditionally spend most of the day in synagogue.
An addition to the Eyleh Ezkerah martyrology section of the Yom Kippur service, this is a short biography of a learned and accomplished medieval Jewish woman who was murdered during the Crusades
The masculine hierarchical God-language so prevalent in High Holiday liturgy can be painful and distancing. This article offers suggestions to restore the empowering potential of the High Holidays for those who have felt diminished, uninterested, and/or angered by traditional High Holiday prayer.
A new version of the traditional prayer using some feminine and non-gendered terms
A meditation walk that one can do to prepare to do teshuvah (repentance)
Reinterpretation of the idea of casting away sins during Rosh Hashanah
Excerpts from a poem which addresses the feminine aspects of God and the merits of biblical women
Reflections on Elul, Rosh Hashanah, and Yom Kippur
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
Discover how Jewish folklore and personal memory can spark new poetry—join this creative immersion with poet Susan Comninos.
Give voice to your own stories through the timeless power of myth and writing.
Subscribe for the latest rituals, online learning opportunities, and unique Judaica finds from our store.
