History
75 years ago, Holocaust survivors celebrated Sukkot on their own terms
The festival of Sukkot, which begins five days after Yom Kippur, is traditionally referred to as the time of our rejoicing. It is an upbeat, celebratory…
Religion
Bay Area Jews weigh pandemic risks: To gather under the sukkah or not?
For some, Sukkot is the first Jewish holiday during the pandemic that can be observed in a relatively normal way. After all, one of the holiday’s main…
Mixed & Matched
My wife and kids are Jewish. Is it OK to pray in Jesus’ name?
Dear Dawn: I am a Christian man married to a Jewish woman. We are raising our children Jewish, and I am very comfortable with that decision. However,…
Torah
This Shabbat, ‘give ear’ to the calls of the prophets
The Torah column is supported by a generous donation from Eve Gordon-Ramek in memory of Kenneth Gordon. Ha’azinu/Shabbat Shuvah Deuteronomy 32:1-52 The…
Yom Kippur
You can't visit the Western Wall — but you can still have your prayer placed there
A visit to Israel and the Western Wall before Yom Kippur is pretty much out of the question due to coronavirus restrictions, but Jews can still have their…
U.S.
How she went from the Notorious RBG to Ruth the Tzadik
Many Americans have been paying tribute to the popularized version of Ruth Bader Ginsberg — the feisty workout-devoted octogenarian Supreme Court justice…
Religion
This comedian is helping rabbis nail their High Holidays services
When the pandemic began, Alex Edelman was in the middle of a standup comedy tour of the United Kingdom, where he was performing a show based on his…
U.S.
From camp ‘rabbi’ to pursuing justice: Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Judaism
In its obituary of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, The Guardian wrote that the late Jewish Supreme Court justice “abandoned her religion.” That couldn’t be more…
Religion
How Ginsburg’s death changed Rosh Hashanah services this year
Rabbi Matt Soffer was leaving his synagogue on Friday evening after leading Rosh Hashanah services alone for a congregation following along online when…