Is There a Leap Day on the Jewish Calendar?
Is there a Leap Day on the Jewish calendar? No, but there is a leap month! Because many Jewish holidays are tied to certain seasons, a leap month is added every seven years in a nineteen-year cycle so that the years stay long enough to keep the spring holidays in the spring and the fall holidays in the fall.
I’m a Jew-by-choice. Can we plan to name our baby after a living relative who is not Jewish?
In Ashkenazic practice ( Jews of Eastern European origin), the custom is to name a child after a relative who has died, while Sephardim ( Jews of Spanish and Middle Eastern origin) tend to name their children after living relatives. Reform practice allows either option. Jews-by-choice certainly may name their
Do Reform Jews Believe in the Messiah?
In the Jewish prayer book, the siddur, there are references to an “end of days”: the Temple in Jerusalem will be rebuilt, the dead who were righteous will be resurrected, and a figure known as the Messiah, or in Hebrew the Moshiach, will restore Israel to new-found glory. The word
What should I bring to a Passover seder?
Your best plan: Ask your hosts what you can bring for the seder, or for the dinner.
What greetings are appropriate on Passover?
There are lots of ways to say Happy Passover!
What is the story behind Hanukkah gelt?
A lot of history and tradition resides in chocolate Hanukkah gelt.
What greetings are appropriate on Hanukkah?
Here are the appropriate greetings for Hanukkah.
How many days is Sukkot?
Sukkot, the Jewish festival of booths (a harvest holiday of thanksgiving), begins on the 15 th day of the Hebrew month of Tishrei.
What Greetings are Appropriate on Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur?
Here are the appropriate greetings for the Jewish new year and the Day of Atonement.
Why Do We Observe Shavuot by Studying All Night?
Since the Rabbinic period, Shavuot has been tied to the story of the Israelites receiving the Torah at Sinai. Because of this, Shavuot has come to be dedicated to the idea of Torah study and Jewish education. One custom is an all-night (or late night) study session held on the
Beyond the revelry, is there a more serious side to observing Purim?
As joyous as the holiday is, it is also a time for serious reflection on the duties of a Jew toward their community, particularly in a post-Holocaust world. The day before the holiday is a minor fast day, the Fast of Esther, timed to coincide with Esther’s own fast on
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