Find valuable resources in different languages about the Day of Atonement, the annual Jewish observance of fasting, prayer, and repentance.
Watch the Masorti Movement in Israel video with the piyyutim 'El Nora Alila' (in an Oriental-Moroccan version) and Avinu Malkeinu (in an Ashkenazi version) sung by Nerya Raphael Knafo and Yahala Lachmish.
"Whenever the High Holidays are on the horizon, I know I will soon be participating in one of my least favorite phone calls of the year. Sooner or later one of us is going to awkwardly say, 'I’m calling to ask for your forgiveness for any harm I may have intentionally or unintentionally caused in the past year.'
Yup, it’s Elul, and the next forty days (between the first of Elul and Yom Kippur) are all about repentance."
"At first glance, Yom Kippur and young children don’t really seem to go together. If your children are anything like mine, long stretches in synagogue and not eating aren’t really in their wheelhouse.
Of course, we don’t ask young children to fast, but the general atmosphere of Yom Kippur observance doesn’t seem to align with the temperament of most toddlers."
"Have you ever worked hard to succeed at something but failed? Have you ever worked hard TO fail?
Jonah is a fascinating character because he tried very hard to fail at his job, and yet, he was the most successful prophet ever. The Book of Jonah is short and to the point, while offering us imperfect human beings important and relatable lessons."
On the poetry of Yom Kippur | "Opening the Machzor on the High Holidays is like returning to the company of an old friend. On each page we might recall past interactions and thoughts and then find ourselves challenged by new insights. On Erev Yom Kippur we recite the piyyut (ancient liturgical poem)Ki Hinei KaChomer b’Yad HaYotzer,‘Like Clay in the Hand of the Potter.’ The poem is intended to prepare us for the recitation of the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy which are repeated several times in the Selichot section of the service."
Reflexiones sobre la Teshuvá | "La idea central de los diez días de arrepentimiento que comienzan con Rosh Hashaná es conocida. La Teshuvá parecería ser un concepto obvio pero no lo es de ninguna manera.
Ioná fue el único de los profetas en toda la Biblia que se nos relata sobre él que tuvo un relativo éxito educativo. Ningún otro lo tuvo, incluso Moshé rabenu."
Nuestra constante carrera por la vida | "El shofar está abierto de ambos os lados. Por ello, lo que entra de un lado sale por el otro. De ese modo, aunque haya quienes nos acusen, sus palabras entrarán por un lado y saldrán por el otro."
🌐 ADATH SHALOM • Paris, France
7 choses à faire pendant les offices de Kippour | "Les offices de Kippour vous semblent longs? Le rabbin Josh Weiner vous donne des conseils inspirants pour tirer le meilleur de ce temps si particulier.
Yom Kippour, c’est 25 heures de jeûne, mais aussi des centaines de prières et des milliers de mots. Suffit-il d’être physiquement présent à la synagogue ? Que faire si on ne parle pas couramment hébreu, voire pas du tout ?"
🌐 JUDISKA FÖRSAMLINGEN I STOCKHOLM • Stockholm, Sweden
Jom kippur | "På jom kippur fastar man under ett dygn, man äter eller dricker inte något mellan solnedgång till solnedgång (är man sjuk får man så klart äta och dricka). Syftet är att inte tänka på världsliga ting och istället fokusera på bot och bättring. Man ber sina medmänniskor och Gud om förlåtelse och tänker igenom hur man själv kan förbättras som människa."
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