Related Blog Posts on Secular Holidays

a soldier standing next to an air field with planes behind him while holding a shofar
Secular Holidays

No, Thank *You* For Your Service

Rabbi Lawrence Freedman
It wasn't because of 9/11. It wasn't because I had a tradition of military service in my family. And while the pay and benefits are nice, it wasn't for those reasons, either. That wasn't why I joined the U.S. Air Force Reserves in 2003 and later switched to the Air National Guard. I joined for the same reason I became a rabbi: I have a desire to serve others and be part of something larger than myself.
Waning crescent moon on black background
Arts and Culture

4 Spooky Mystical Jewish Figures

Crystal Hill
Even though Halloween began as a pagan holiday, it now brings spooky fun to children and adults of all backgrounds, including many Jews who view it more as a traditional holiday than a religious holiday.
new years day fireworks
Jewish Values

A Jewish Take on New Year’s Resolutions

Dasee Berkowitz
New Year's Day and the traditional resolutions that accompany it invite us to take stock of our lives. Are we living our lives to the fullest? Can we imagine a future in which the commitments we make for ourselves (e.g., healthier habits around eating and exercise) actually come true? What will it take this year to really change?
Aron's family
Secular Holidays

My Father Was a Quiet Man

Aron Hirt-Manheimer

My father was a quiet man. He was not one to engage in philosophical or political discussions. He did not tell people what to think or how to live.

Had Pop left me and my sister an ethical will, it would have emphasized love of mishpucha (family).

soldiers graves with American flags
Shavuot

Make Memorial Day Count in 2021

Rabbi Tracy Kaplowitz, Ph.D.

On Shavuot, the holiday when we celebrate receiving the Torah marks the completion of counting the omer, we are reminded of the historic and nation-altering moment our ancestors experienced in the desert when God revealed God’s self.

mothers day
Secular Holidays

Being a Mom in an All-Woman Family

Aron Hirt-Manheimer
June and her partner, Betsy, adopted two girls from Guatemala and raised them together until Betsy died of cancer four years ago. June talked with me about the great joy she felt in fulfilling her dream of becoming a mom and the challenges she and her teenage daughters faced after suffering such a tremendous loss.