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…

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Love in the Liturgy

Most people would identify prayer as a vertical endeavor: Mortals communicating with God. Yet, as we will learn, there is a beautiful custom to begin our prayers by thinking horizontally,…

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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…

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Sukkot

- Sukkot The holiday of Sukkot, known as the Feast of the Tabernacles, or the liturgy Zman Simchatainu,…

Is Sukkot Part of the High Holidays?

It is clear that during the Ten Days of Penitence, we are meant to be on a higher spiritual realm. We recite Psalm 47 seven times prior to blowing the shofar on Rosh Hashana, symbolizing…

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Is Sukkot Part of the High Holidays?

It is clear that during the Ten Days of Penitence, we are meant to be on a higher spiritual realm. We recite Psalm 47 seven times prior to blowing the shofar on Rosh Hashana, symbolizing…

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A Pleasant Song Composed

The liturgy of the synagogue has developed over the span of Jewish history. Some parts of the service  – such as the Shema, which is a recitation of Biblical text - originate from…

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A Song of Nature

According to the introduction of Perek Shirah (A Chapter of Song), after King David finished composing the Book of Psalms, he cried out to God: “Is there any creature that You have…

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Inside Prayer

Jewish prayer is a complex, multi-layered activity. The sages refer to prayer as avodah, service, the same term used to describe the sacrificial service in the Holy Temple. However, since…

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A Pleasant Song Composed

The liturgy of the synagogue has developed over the span of Jewish history. Some parts of the service– such as the Shema, which is a recitation of Biblical text – originate from Judaism’s…

Read More