ritual

Jewish Ritual and “The Checklist Manifesto”

Jewish ritual is complicated. Take the most recent ritual we just celebrated, the seder. It has 14 steps, each of which is to ...

The Year of the Bar Mitzvahs

The “Derby Bunch”, or “Six Pack” as my parents like to call them, are a motley crew of grandkids – ...

Breaking the Cycle of Unwelcome in Jewish Life

For many of us going to a new synagogue or Jewish environment is tough. We spend time beforehand wondering if ...

Turned Away From The Mikvah

I had been selected for a 10-day workshop at Yad Vashem for Jewish educators and planned to arrive early and ...

Accumulating Things Or, Then Again … Nothing

We read in Pirke Avot, the Ethics of the Sages: “Who is happy?” The answer: “The one who is satisfied ...

From Mourning to Memory: Chasing Balloons, Wearing a Ring

For those of you who wear rings, this probably sounds familiar: you fiddle with your ring, a thousand times a ...

Overcoming Obstacles to Recite Mourner’s Kaddish with Dignity

My father died on Rosh Hashanah 5764. He died at home, in a clean white bed, surrounded by his wife ...

It’s Time for a New Calendar

I have a rich undergraduate memory of a professor teaching about communities. She said that one of the key aspects ...

Total Immersion: How I Found New Meaning in an Ancient Ritual

Ten of us walked to the creek, each one carrying her own trepidation, confusion, and curiosity. We represented different approaches ...

A Sweet Southern Simcha

For those of you who remember my very pregnant Passover post, you’ll be happy to know I made it through ...