Birthday of the World
According to Jewish tradition, this Friday night, when Rosh Hashana begins, the world will be 5784 years old. This claim easily stirs up sharp debate. How, it is often asked, can one say…
The Five Names of Rosh Hashana
In Jewish tradition, Rosh Hashana has several names that can help us understand the importance and power of this holiday. Rosh Hashana, which begins this Friday evening, September 15th,…
Symbolic Foods
Since Rosh Hashana is the Day of Judgment, it is customary to eat simanim*, foods with symbolic meanings that invoke God’s blessing. We also recite a short prayer before eating them.…
Keeping Ethical
Pirkei Avot is commonly translated as "Ethics of Our Fathers" because many of its statements focus on ethical behavior. For those striving to be ethical, “Nittai the Arbelite says: Keep…
Jewish Work in Diabetes
Today is World Diabetes Day. Not so long ago, diabetes was often thought of as a “Jewish disease.” This was before doctors and scientists understood genetics. The idea of diabetes as a…