A get is a divorce under halacha, or Jewish law. The word can also refer to the document that grants the get, though its technical name is sefer k'ritot, or scroll of severance. The sefer k'ritot is…
One of the most well known Jewish customs connected with the observance of Shabbat (the Sabbath) is the lighting of lamps or candles before sunset on Friday…
A mezuzah is a little box that is nailed to the doorpost of a Jewish home. The Hebrew word mezuzah means doorpost. It is generally placed on the right side of…
In many Jewish synagogues a minyan is required for public prayer times. A minyan is a group of at least 10 Jewish men over the age of 13 years old. A minyan is…
The Yiddish language is a wonderful source of rich expressions, especially terms of endearment (and of course, complaints and insults)….Jewish scriptwriters…
A yarmulke in Yiddish, or a kippah in Hebrew, is a small head covering. Kippah literally means covering. Professor Jacob Lauterbach has been quoted as saying…
There are several Jewish traditions surrounding the death loved ones. We say the mourner’s kaddish. It is not a mournful dirge, but rather praise to the Giver…
Today we may recognize some traditional Jewish garments such as prayer shawls and kippahs, which are used to cover the head of the worshiper during prayer.
Have you done a mitzvah today? A mitzvah is a good deed, something done to benefit someone else without any selfish motives attached to it. It is doing a favor without expecting anything in return.…
Havdallah means “separation” and is a service used to separate the holiness of the Sabbath from the rest of the week. It separates the day that God blessed from the regular workdays of the week. It…
The word Halakhah comes from the root word halakh which means “to go” and it is the name given to the collective teachings of Jewish laws which involve the regulation of various aspects of Jewish…
Sha'atnez is the term used for clothing made with a mixture of wool and linen fibres. This mixture is clearly forbidden in two places in the Torah. In Deuteronomy it states: You shall not sow your…
Although the early history of the calendar is not clear, most scholars believe that the present calendar is a combination of two systems. One system began the year in spring and the other in autumn.…
The Hebrew word "tzedakah" derives from the biblical word "tzedek" meaning righteousness or justice. Helping those in need is not merely responding with sympathy or pity, but in Jewish tradition is a…
A yarmulke in Yiddish, or a kippah in Hebrew, is a small head covering. Kippah literally means covering. Professor Jacob Lauterbach has been quoted as saying that the question of praying bareheaded…
Is it permissible for a woman to wear a Tallit? Many Orthodox authorities rule it out because they claim that it is a positive commandment at a fixed time16. and women do not have to observe such…
The Western Wall is the western portion of the retaining wall of the Temple Mount where the Temple stood. The Hebrew for Western Wall is ha-Kotel ha-Ma'aravi, although it is usually called simply…