Jewish Calendar

Back to School as a Jew? Here’s What No One Tells You | Jewish Back-to-School Part 1

August 6, 2025

Back to School, But Make It Jewish Whether it’s preschool or grad school, back-to-school prep isn’t just about new pencils and fresh planners. For Jewish families, students, and seekers, this time of year brings a whole new layer of questions: How do I fit Shabbat into a school schedule? What does Jewish rhythm look like […]

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The Three Weeks, Explained in 3 Minutes

July 15, 2025

If you’ve ever felt spiritually disconnected or like you’re mourning something you can’t quite name, welcome — you might already be tuned in to the energy of the Three Weeks, even if you didn’t have the words for it yet. This stretch of the Jewish calendar, from the 17th of Tammuz to Tisha B’Av, holds

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What Is Seasonal Jewish Living?

July 2, 2025

Judaism doesn’t just live in synagogues or sacred texts—it lives in time. Each Jewish month carries its own energy, its own invitations. Some months are light and joyful. Others, like Tammuz, ask us to be honest about what’s hard, to pause, reflect, and prepare for something deeper. This rhythm is what I call seasonal Jewish

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Jewish Grief, Jewish Growth: Tammuz in 45 Seconds

June 30, 2025

Tammuz has arrived – and with it, a season of heat, heaviness, and holy heartbreak. The Three Weeks are approaching, inviting us into a time of deep reflection, mourning, and gentle recalibration. This part of the Jewish calendar holds space for the cracks in our world – and in ourselves – that haven’t yet healed.

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Synagogue Tickets & the High Holidays: What No One Tells You

September 21, 2014

Can I go to synagogue on the High Holidays without a ticket? Well, sure. However, your mileage may vary whether you get in the door, whether you have a seat, or whether people are jerks to you. (All of the below applies to synagogues in any movement – orthodox, conservative, and reform.) I don’t

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What Is Elul and Why Does It Matter?

August 29, 2011

Tonight begins the two days of rosh chodesh Elul, the new month of Elul. (Don’t get confused. Tonight starts the last day of Av, and tomorrow night starts the first day of Elul. Both days are rosh chodesh Elul. That’s two-day rosh chodesh for you!) Elul is the last month of the Jewish calendar, as

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Chodesh tov! What’s Rosh Chodesh?

April 6, 2011

Yesterday was Rosh Chodesh Nisan. So what is Rosh Chodesh? Rosh Chodesh is the first day of a new lunar month. Depending on the month and year, Rosh Chodesh can be either one or two days long. The term literally translates as “head of the month,” just as Rosh HaShanah is “head of the year.”

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