A Song to the Eternal
Not only is Adon Olam one of the most well-known Jewish prayers, but it is also one of the most frequently repeated parts of the liturgy. Depending on the community, it is included in the…
Italkim, the Italian Liturgy
It is believed by many, that the first Jews to have traveled to the land now known as Italy came to Rome as ambassadors sent by Judah Maccabee (of Chanukah fame). Certainly it was not…
Shabbat Day Songs
Zmirot are the songs that celebrate the holiness and beauty of Shabbat. There are designated zmirot for each of the three Shabbat meals, and even post-Shabbat zmirot. Two of the most…
The Third Meal
“Eat [the manna] today, for today is Shabbat to God, today you will not find it in the field” (Exodus 16:25). The language Moses used to instruct the Israelites to collect enough manna…
You Say Tomay’to, I Say Tomah’to
Just as Jews from different countries have different ritual customs, so too do their prayerbooks have slight but important variations. The different formats of the prayer service is known…
The Third Meal
“Eat [the manna] today, for today is Shabbat to God, today you will not find it in the field” (Exodus 16:25). The language Moses used to instruct the Israelites to collect enough manna…
Music – This is not your father’s Hava Nagila
Popular Jewish music has become an increasingly diverse market over the last sixty years. What was once limited to cantorial music and klezmer classics has evolved into single artists,…
The Jewish Reveille
The Hebrew month of Elul which began this past Sunday night and Monday, brings with it a few changes to the prayer service, one of which is the blowing of the shofar every morning (except…
Take Me Out To The Ballgame
In 2006, the month of May was officially designated as Jewish American Heritage Month. And what better way to celebrate Jews in America than with a little bit of baseball? Certainly,…