Shabbat

This reflection explores the Jewish belief that our everyday choices have consequences far beyond what we can see. Prayer, Shabbat, speech, and the way we treat others may seem private, but spirituall...

The days after Sukkot are more than a return to routine. This teaching explores the tradition that the next 12 days correspond to the 12 months of the year, and how Shabbat Bereishit offers a powerful...

For more than 40 years, one Jerusalem family opened their Shabbat table to anyone who walked through the door, from homeless strangers and struggling young people to visitors from around the world. Th...

The mitzvah of eating on Erev Yom Kippur carries a deep purpose. The Shelah explains that it is itself part of the process of atonement, either by “afflicting” the soul through physical eating or by r...

Why do we repeat Vidui on Yom Kippur, eat symbolic foods on Rosh Hashanah, and avoid blowing the shofar when Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbat? This class explores the deeper meaning behind familiar High...

Why does Judaism rely on the Talmud and an Oral Torah in addition to the written Bible? Rabbi Mordechai Becher explains why the Written Torah was never meant to stand alone, using examples such as tef...

Rabbi Daniel Glatstein explores one of the great spiritual challenges of modern Jewish life: affluence, consumerism, and the endless desire for more. He explains how deeper Torah learning, meaningful...

Explore the structure and laws of Birkat Hamazon, including its four blessings, special additions for Shabbat and holidays, the blessing for one’s host, Sheva Brachot, and what to do when an important...

Why did Christianity and Islam emerge after the destruction of the Second Temple, and what role might they play in the unfolding of Jewish history? Drawing on the Rambam and biblical prophecy, this le...

What does it really mean to be Jewish, and why does Judaism place so much emphasis on mitzvot? In this candid conversation, Sarah Pachter answers a young Jewish woman’s questions about Jewish identity...