Rosh Hashanah - The Other Seder
The Rosh Hashanah seder is a pre-meal ritual, a counterpart to the Passover seder we all know about. With synagogue observance of Rosh Hashanah this year likely to be interrupted in many ways due to the pandemic, it is particularly apt to shift more of the observance to our homes. The Rosh Hashanah seder can mix tradition, modern relevance, and lots of fun.
Posted on August 27, 2020 by
Rabbi
Barbara Penzner
A High Holiday Message
The Talmud tells us that God created repentance (teshuvah) before creating the physical world. As Billy Joel once sang, “we’re only human, we’re supposed to make mistakes.” It’s how we respond to mistakes, how we grow, that matters. This video explores the twin themes of teshuvah and gratitude (hakarat hatov.) Our tradition offers us practices that cultivate self-reflection and humility, relationship and repair. We hope these words offer some comfort and guidance as you undergo your own process of teshuvah and, in meaningful relationships with others, make Godliness present in the world.
Posted on September 20, 2019 by
Rabbi
Deborah Waxman
Ph.D.
Hagar the Stranger
To love the stranger represents an outrageous leap out of the typical moral economy, in which we do kindnesses and expect to be repaid in kind. In loving the stranger, we transcend self-interest.
Posted on August 17, 2017 by
Rabbi
Jonathan Kligler
Hagar: The Immigrant Worker
This provocative Rosh Hashanah sermon draws parallels between Hagar, Sarah’s mistreated servant, and today’s immigrant workers.
Posted on August 15, 2017 by
Rabbi
Renee Bauer
For The Sake Of The World
Rabbi Toba Spitzer grapples wtih the traditional notion of Jewish chosenness, arguing that our Torah is integral to the maintenance and perfection of this world—even as we acknowledge that other people’s teachings, other people’s truths, are also a path to redemption. It matters that Judaism survives—not just for our own sake, but because it’s good for the world, and because we have unique work to do.
Posted on November 29, 2016 by
Rabbi
Toba Spitzer
Being Part of the Universe
In these excerpts from the diaries of Mordecai Kaplan, the message of Rosh Hashanah is reframed as one of radical responsibility to a higher calling.
Posted on May 6, 2016 by
Mel Scult
Fall Holiday Glossary
This file contains a helpful glossary of terms for Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Shmini Atzeret and Simchat Torah. It begins with a letter to parents suggesting themes to think about during the holiday season.
Posted on April 15, 2016 by
Melissa Segal
High Holiday Liturgy
Rabbi Alan LaPayover (RRC ‘02), recorded the prayers of the Reconstructionist liturgy for the High Holiday services. The sound files are available for listening and download from links on this page.
Posted on April 15, 2016 by
Rabbi
Alan LaPayover
Rabbi Fredi's Challah
Rabbi Fredi Cooper's challah recipe
Posted on April 14, 2016 by
Rabbi
Fredi Cooper
Ed.D.
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