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Why Beat the Willow?

When tradition is silent, symbolic explanations arise.

The Ritual of Beating the Willow

How did this Sukkot tradition develop?

Simchat Beit Hashoavah: The Water-Drawing Festival

This lively ancient Sukkot ritual included juggling and gymnastics.

The Lesson of Hanukkah

Hanukkah points to the fragility of historical redemption and the ambiguity of its messengers and leaders.

Defining Hanukkah: Spiritual vs Political

Hanukkah asks us to reconcile the worldview of the Rabbis with that of the Maccabees.

Hoshana: Beseeching God

A unique aspect of the Sukkot service

Al Hanisim: Concerning the Miracles

A prayer acknowledging the significance of Hanukkah.

The Maccabees: Heroes or Fanatics?

The Maccabees triumphed over the Syrian Greeks and liberated the Temple, but their legacy is not so clear.

The First Hanukkah

It was actually a Sukkot celebration.

Hanukkah and the Winter Solstice

There are disagreements as to why the holiday of lights is celebrated when the days are short.

Taking the Christmas out of Hanukkah

7 ways to make the Festival of Lights more meaningful and less materialistic.

Yom Kippur Theology and Themes

The 10 Days of Repentance, are the window of opportunity for the human dynamic to influence the Divine decrees. On Yom Kippur we make our final plea to God.

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