Religious Life Archives

I’m Jewish but Go To Church on Christmas—Here’s Why

By Melissa Henriquez

Growing up in New Jersey, I loved celebrating Christmas. I have lovely memories of opening presents on Christmas...

Hanukkah & Christmas, Religion & Spirituality, Religious Life

Image of two sets of feet wearing hiking boots and walking in the woods with the sun shining through the trees.

How Do We Bring Two Faiths into Our Everyday?

By Laura Drescher

Often couples of the same faith join a religious community together after getting married. As an interfaith...

Identity, Religion, Religious Life, Resources, Spirituality

Is the Jewish Community a Mean Girl?

By Rabbi Samantha Kahn

“The organized Jewish community is nothing more than the mean girls from high school.” What?! I think I literally...

Identity, Religion, Religious Life, Spirituality, Synagogue

Finding Shabbat When It Feels Like Shabbat is Nowhere to be Found

By Jane Larkin

In a class I teach to engaged and recently married young couples, I talk about the importance of finding time...

Blessings, Religion, Religious Life, Synagogue

The back of a Rabbi talking in a group people.

Coming Full Circle

By Kathy Bloomfield

Twelve years ago on a Yom Kippur afternoon, at the request of my rabbi, Steven Silver, I stood on the bimah...

Conversion, Mikveh, Religious Life

Why We Decided to Join a Synagogue for Our Daughter

By Elizabeth Freid Vocke

Mirabelle at JCC pre-school This past August, when I started talking about and planning for the High Holidays...

Parenting, Religious Life, Synagogue

How Can I Show Her That Judaism Welcomes Lesbians?

By The Jewish Daily Forward

This article was reprinted with permission from The Forward The Seesaw is a new kind of advice column in...

LGBTQ, Religious Life

Greeting Each Other at Shabbat Services

By 18Doors

An Interfaith-Inclusive Reading for Clergy to Welcome a Congregation on Shabbat Welcome to our synagogue on...

Professionals, Religious Life, Shabbat, Synagogue

Snubbed After Wedding

By Amy Sessler Powell

This article was reprinted with permission from 614 HBI eZINE I grew up in a warm, community-oriented Conservative...

Religious Life, Weddings

How Can We Enact Jewish Values?

By Rabbi Jillian Cameron

Madeleine Albright speaking at the Consultation on Conscience conference We live in a world of infinite choices,...

Chicago, Policy, Religious Education, Religious Life, Resources

Who Gets to Criticize Your Religion?

By Rabbi Mychal Copeland

I remember the day I introduced our kids to The Prince of Egypt. I loved this movie, and I was excited...

Blessings, Religion, Religious Life, Spirituality, Synagogue

Be Courageous

By Jane Larkin

An email from the family in charge of leading the discussion for the next fourth-grade book club landed in my...

Religious Life, Resources

Say Yes to Interfaith Families

By Susanna Perrett

As the partner who is not Jewish, raising a Jewish family in the Chicago area, I have often felt like a guest...

Religious Life, Synagogue

What is Your Synagogue’s Policy on Opening the Ark?

By 18Doors

October 15, 2014 18Doors staff worked together to gather information about the ritual policies of synagogues...

Religious Life, Synagogue

“How We Be” – Our Day at Camp JRF

By Rabbi Robyn Frisch

Everyone stand in a big circle. If you have a parent who is not Jewish, take a step inside the circle. Stay...

Camp, Religious Life, Resources

Open Doors on Beacon Hill

By April Baskin

Nestled within Boston’s picturesque Beacon Hill neighborhood, the Vilna Shul is a gem that the city is lucky...

Boston, Religious Life, Synagogue

New Ideas about Jewish Newcomers

By Rabbi Ari Moffic

I’ve been out and about lately (Diversity Shabbat at Temple Chai in Long Grove and the PJ Library Conference...

Religious Life, Resources

Talking Interfaith at TribeFest 2014

By Rabbi Ari Moffic

Lindsey Silken and I recently attended TribeFest which is a conference of the Jewish Federations of North America....

Religious Life, Resources

Rabbi Ari Moffic’s Sermon on Today’s Judaism

By Rabbi Ari Moffic

The following is my sermon given on March 7, 2014 at Temple Beth El in Munster, IN. The weekly Torah portions...

Professional Development, Professionals, Religion, Religious Life, Resources, Synagogue

Tell Your Congregants: Don’t Go

By Rabbi Ari Moffic

So many couples I marry have one partner who grew up at an area congregation but left after their bar or bat...

Policy, Religion, Religious Life, Synagogue

Jewish Educators: Keeping It Real

By Rabbi Ari Moffic

My last blog post was a plea to program providers to look at their enrollment forms with new lenses this summer....

Clergy, Professionals, Religious Education, Religious Life, Resources

Why I Now Officiate at Interfaith Weddings

By Rabbi Robyn Frisch

When I was ordained as a Reform Rabbi in 2000 I was certain that I would never officiate at interfaith wedding...

Clergy Weddings, Officiant, Officiation, Religious Life, Resources, Weddings

Rabbinical Students and Intermarriage

By Benjamin Maron

Back in February, my colleague, Rebecca, blogged about a debate between two Reform rabbinic students: should...

Denominations, Policy, Religious Life, Synagogue

Try Being a Stranger

By Rabbi Ari Moffic

We speak a lot about the importance of welcoming interfaith families to organized Jewish life. Congregations...

Policy, Religious Life, Resources

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