About the Rosh Hashanah cover art
I was introduced to the Sephardi and Mizrahi tradition of a Rosh Hashanah seder by a dear friend, at whose home I celebrate most of the Jewish holidays. This New Year’s, given the pandemic and that we are not in…
High Holidays
Celebrating world’s birthday
(photo from pikist.com/free-photo-vqamg) One of the many names of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, is Yom Harat Olam, the birthday of the world. It is the day on which our tradition says the world was created. Before we can…
Reboot helps take stock
Reboot’s annual 10Q annual reflection project, which sends participants a question a day for 10 days will return for the 13th year this month. But, with the challenges, grief and fear of COVID-19 weighing heavily on the world, this year’s…
The danger in certainty
Like many of you, I approach the New Year and Yom Kippur with a heavy heart. Ashamnu. We have sinned. Much is not well, not as it should or can be. Our communities are filled with anger, fear, hatred, pain,…
Holidays unlike any before
Services in the Schara Tzedeck auditorium, with social-distancing measures in place. (photo by Camille Wener) In early March, Canadians were just beginning to take COVID-19 seriously. Then, in what seemed like an instant, the province shut down all places where…
Blessings in bad times
While it may not be divine intervention that brought us technologies like the communications platform Zoom, it is undeniable that 21st-century tech has made this bizarre, scary and tragic time a little less isolating. Much has been written and said…
Stay home for the High Holidays
At its best, the Jewish community does amazing things in the spirit of pikuach nefesh, to save a life. At services, if someone faints, there’s silent networking. Within seconds, multiple medical professionals surge forward silently to attend those medical emergencies.…
A dose of humility, gratitude
Between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, there were lots of opportunities for reflection and self-examination. I had a helpful reminder when I recently taught a workshop on recycling and reuse in fibre arts. I worked as an English, writing and…
Do you know your priorities?
During the months of Elul and Tishri, when we’re in the midst of the High Holiday season, things are busy. Kids are in (and out) of school and activities, parents are facing the fall rush of activities in their own…
A High Holidays stew
A sudden powerful gust of wind whipping through an open window slammed the door shut…. (photo from wikiHow) It was one of those hot and humid fall days in Montreal and my sister-in-law “Sadie” decided to make a stew. After…
