There are stars whose radiance is visible on earth though they have long been extinct. There are people whose brilliance continues to light the world though they are no longer among the living. These lights are particularly bright when the night is dark. They light the way for humankind.

And G!d says: "You cannot do the work every single second of every single day, which is why we've set aside this night-and-day in the middle of the Big Week just for you. To sleep unhurried, to eat well and bask in familiarity, because this is where the community happens. This is where we are born, each and every week, where we hold each other. There is no work without holding each other." And G!d says: "That in the days between...

Kol Nidre By Kohenet Rev. Dr. Claudia Hall   Person says (individually or in unison)     Every year. Every year I make so many promises.  Promises to myself: to lose or gain weight, to eat better, sleep enough. The list is endless.  Promises to others: to be kinder, to express love more, to get angry less. The list is endless.  Promises to God: to be a better Jew, a better human being, that this is the year I will get my act together...

It's said that Yom Kippur brings affliction to the comfortable and comfort to the afflicted. After a long night and day of fasting, we finally have arrived at the magic moment of breaking bread to end the fast and start the feast. Before all that, take a brief moment for gratitude for the meal we are about to consume.  בָּרוּךְ‭ ‬אַתָּה‭ ‬יְיָ‭ ‬אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ‭ ‬מֶֽלֶךְ‭ ‬הָעוֹלָם ‬הַמּֽוֹצִיא‭ ‬לֶֽחֶם‭ ‬מִן‭ ‬הָאָֽרֶץ Barukh ata Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha’olam, hamotzi lekhem min ha-aretz. Blessed are...

Why is it traditional for Jews to fast on Yom Kippur? Fasting, along with wearing white and avoiding sensual pleasures, is meant to purify our bodies, minds, and spirits for Divine judgment.  While many Jews fast from sundown to sundown on Yom Kippur, fasting isn’t for everyone. Health issues may prevent some people from being able to safely fast, and others may not find spiritual resonance and significance in the practice. With intentional adaptation, however, it’s possible to find a fasting...

High Holidays in Five Senses  As the light and the weather shift in this sacred time of transition, we're invited to enter a new season and a new year. Take a deep breath as you consider how each of your senses connects to the High Holidays. What do the High Holidays smell like?  They smell of freshly-baked sweet challah, the vanilla-y pages of an old book, your grandfather’s aftershave, the tang of the etrog and the perfume of lulav branches. What...

The shofar is our ancient, animalistic alarm clock. Hearing it tells us to wake up and it's a mitzvah, a commandment to hear its call. We say the first blessing before the shofar is sounded, then we say shehecheyanu, the blessing for milestones, to mark the occasion.   Baruch ata Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha-olam asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu lishmoa kol shofar. Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the universe, who has made us holy with commandments, and who has commanded...

Strengthening Tribal Food Sovereignty to Honor Indigenous Peoples Each year, Indigenous Peoples’ Day is an opportunity to recognize and celebrate Native peoples, to acknowledge the legacy of settler colonialism, and to commit to accountability for its impacts in the present. For MAZON, this means grappling with the history of how food was used as a tool of colonization — dark chapters in American history that aren’t taught and, as a result, erase the trauma and persecution of Native peoples — and...

Ritual to End Yom Kippur  After 24 hours of asking, Yom Kippur ends with a declaration and a shout. We make a proclamation, then consider it done. Write three intentions you have for the year ahead, then read them out loud. You can recite them multiple times. The traditional formula is 1, 3 and 7.  Intention #1 1x Intention #2 3x Intention #3 7x  Then the shofar is sounded one final, long, loud blast. If you cannot hear a shofar, shout...

The traditional confessional prayer, the  Vidui,  is composed of two parts, the  Ashamnu  and the  Al Chet, that we read aloud on Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. The  Ashamnu  (translated as “we have trespassed” or “we are guilty”) is an abbreviated confession, an alphabetic acrostic, and written in first person plural. We recite this confessional in the plural to represent our shared responsibility and culpability in all of our lives and missteps. We also share this confessional as a reminder that...

Yom Kippur includes a dedicated moment, called Yizkor, to collectively remember lives lost. We ask that our loved ones find mercy and peace in their eternal rest, and by doing this we keep their memories alive even as they no longer take breath. Before any other Yom Kippur ritual, go to your altar and light a candle. Traditionally, a memorial yahrzeit candle lasts for the full 24 hours of Yom Kippur, but you can use any long-burning candle. Stare into the...