Shabbat & Holidays - Building a Jewish Life

Is Converting to Judaism More Expensive Than You Think? | Conversion on a Budget Part 3

August 27, 2025

When I started my Jewish journey, nobody told me that the biggest costs wouldn’t be the obvious ones. Sure, I expected to pay for books, classes, maybe some ritual items. But what blindsided me were the hidden costs—the unpaid time off for holidays, the career shifts, the synagogue memberships, even the emotional toll of burnout. […]

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How To Ask For Jewish Holidays Off At Work or School

August 24, 2025

Asking for time off for the Jewish holidays shouldn’t feel like climbing a mountain—but let’s be real, it often does. Whether it’s Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, or any other Jewish holiday, the thought of explaining your absence to a boss or professor can be stressful—especially if they’ve never heard of these holidays before. The good

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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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Amazon Prime Day for Jewish Converts: What to Buy (and What to Skip)

July 9, 2025

You’re Trying to Build a Jewish Life—and Suddenly You Need Stuff Books. Candlesticks. A prayerbook. A second set of spatulas. A better lamp for Zoom rabbi meetings.Building a Jewish life is beautiful—but it’s also a lot. If you’re converting, returning, or starting Jewish life from scratch, you already know that Jewish living isn’t just spiritual—it’s

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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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Tisha B’Av & the Three Weeks: A Guide for Beginners

June 25, 2025

Some seasons on the Jewish calendar hit in the kishkes. The Three Weeks and Tisha B’Av aren’t flashy. They’re not covered in glitter or joy. They’re heavy. Disorienting. Sometimes avoided. And yet, they hold some of the deepest truths in Jewish life—about grief, about brokenness, and about what it means to keep showing up anyway.

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What If You Can’t Stay Up All Night for Shavuot?

May 28, 2025

If you’re feeling the pressure to stay up all night for Tikkun Leil Shavuot – caffeine in one hand, guilt in the other – you’re not alone. For years, I thought I had to do the whole thing: the cheesecake, the all-nighter, the Torah study until sunrise. But the truth is, Shavuot isn’t a test

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New to Shavuot? Here’s What You Actually Need to Know

May 23, 2025

If you’ve ever heard someone mention Shavuot and immediately thought “cheesecake holiday,” you’re not wrong—but you’re definitely missing the bigger picture. And honestly? Most Jews—even lifelong ones—aren’t exactly sure how to explain what this holiday is about. Shavuot doesn’t have a seder. It doesn’t have a sukkah. It doesn’t come with an obvious playbook. So

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What to Do Right Now to Make Next Passover Less Overwhelming

May 19, 2025

Before you block out the trauma – sorry, the “spiritual growth opportunity” – that was this year’s Passover, let’s hit pause for just a minute. (As you know, I’m a Pesach realist who knows it isn’t all rainbows and unicorns of spiritual highs while bleaching the bathroom.) Because somewhere between the forgotten Pyrex, the gluten-free

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