Holidays and Festivals Program

In this excellent podcast episode, Abigail True explains the juxtaposition of the holidays on the Jewish calendar, and how each one corresponds to the one across the calendar from it.

A little-known secret; though Jews observe this holiday, this holiday is an incredible opportunity for everyone on earth! This is because, on Rosh Hashanah is the day the report card of every individual in the world, undergoes a review.

As summer fades into autumn, a sacred period arrives in the Jewish calendar that carries profound spiritual significance. We’re all invited to embark on a transformative journey of self-discovery, repentance, and reconnection with the Divine during this time.

In this series, we will explore a few short ideas to make spiritual preparation for Rosh Hashanah. From wisdom on ending the year well, to insights on how we can use our intention to shape the next year. Subscribe today so you don’t miss the next part.

In this article, we explore the most powerful spiritual principle and how we can channel this ability to co-create a new reality.

In this article, we explore the power of giving with purpose, ways to optimize tzedakah, and the eternal and atoning power of charity.

As a special for the month of Elul, and the preparation for Rosh Hashanah, here is a teaching from this past week at Tikvat David on the models of repentance and how we are to bring the kingdom to earth in our lives.

As the Jewish world has just closed the books on another Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), its message remains as important and relevant for us as ever. Among the readings during the Yom Kippur services, it is customary to study and discuss the book of Jonah. Why Jonah? Of all

In Hebrew, the word Kaphar (כפר) is the word translated as “atonement” in most english translations. Kaphar can imply the ‘forgiveness of sins’, but this word has other meanings as well that should give us insight into its essence. It is from this word that we get Yom Kippur (כִּפּוּרִ),

The Hebrew Bible uses (4) different words to describe the categories of what we have broadly called, “sin”. G_D takes into account what we knew and what we did with that knowledge. Therefore, an accidental sin may be less severe as opposed to a sin done with full awareness

After having conducted a 40-day retrospective of our year, ultimately repenting for our mistakes on Yom Kippur - we are provided a moment to look forward to the year ahead. This is why Sukkot represents a kind of fresh start, the beginning of a new paradigm in our spiritual growth.

A Chanukah miracle, based on a true story form December 25th, 1938.

Light/Ohr (אור) is seen as a vital balance to Darkness/Choshek (חשך). Common in Hebrew, the words for Light and Dark can also be understood in a multitude of ways. In this case, revelation and obscurity, respectively.

The Temple, the centerpiece of the Chanukkah story represented a form of defiance to the overreach and technological progress of the surrounding pagan nations.

The book of Esther is truly fascinating, though its brilliance can easily slip by us. Perhaps this is why the thematic thread running throughout the book can be summed up in the word “concealment”.

As a descendant of Esau, Amalek had a natural predisposition against the nation of Israel. In the Midrash¹, we are told that [Amalek] was one of the counselors of Pharoah who advocated for the persecution and destruction of the Jewish people.

Let’s explore the Messianic archetype of Esther; her unwavering resolve to self-sacrifice for her people; how she gained favor in the upper worlds to avert the harsh decree - And, how her story finds resonance in the Gospel narrative of Jesus’s trial.

When we try to define “faith” we find it is somewhat prone to misapprehension. You know we’re off to a bad start when a popular English dictionary gives you eight different meanings¹. How can such a critical concept be so obscured?

On Easter Sunday, it is customary to see the crosses out front of your local Churches draped in a white, or linen sash. Have you ever wondered where this idea originated? Believe it or not, it is derived from within the Jewish oral tradition of the first century.

Many in the church see the “Last Supper” as the Biblical grounds for what is called “Communion. In light of this, I explained how “The Last Supper” features many elements of an early Passover Seder. As it turned out, this was completely new to him, and we never got to discuss the original topic.

Years ago, I heard a lecture by an Orthodox Rabbi who shared some deeper insights about the event known as the “Akeidah”, the “Binding” of Isaac. I couldn’t help but see an incredible amount of parallels to the Gospel narrative and what some Christians may refer to as the “Passion” narrative.

The Death of the Firstborn is one plague that some struggle to come to terms with. Many have asked, “For what purpose did G_D kill so many innocent people?” While this might be rationalized as payback for the death of the Hebrew infants in Exodus 1, closer inspection indicates a deeper message.

A particular passage in the Gospel of John has been difficult for many readers to understand for centuries. The text indicates that many in Jesus’s day had a hard time with it too.

After the crucifixion narrative, the Gospel writers record that the large stone used to cover the tomb of Jesus was rolled away, opening the tomb. There is an idea in the Zohar that might give us insight into new meaning

As we start the second night of the Passover Seder, we enter into a sacred and auspicious period in the Jewish calendar, counting the Omer. How did an agricultural practice become so spiritual?

The life of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, though set against the backdrop of the Roman occupation and the aftermath of the destruction of the Second Temple, left an indelible mark on the Jewish tradition that is celebrated on the holiday known as Lag b’Omer.

Did you know that Paul was adamant about keeping the festival of Shavuot at the Temple in Jerusalem? If not, it is likely because many English translations have obscured this account.

The consequence of the sin of the golden calf is that the Torah appears, to most, as simply stories, genealogies, and laws. Subsequently, many perceive the Torah from the opposite angle, fixing their gaze upon the garments.

A particular passage in the Gospel of John has been difficult for many readers to understand for centuries. The text indicates that many in Jesus’s day had a hard time with it too.

From periods of triumph and celebration to periods of reflection and trials, the Hebrew calendar weaves a complex story rooted in spirituality, each month with its own unique mazal.

The first century in Israel was a period marked by deep religious, cultural, and social complexity, which has led to distorted and negative perceptions of the people of Israel that are alive and well today.