Archive for 2017
Friday Night: Angels in My House
In this personal article, Jewish educator Amy Deutsch suggests an original understanding of what type of angels we are welcoming into our home when we sing Shalom Aleichem on Friday night. Deutsch bases her interpretation
An Introduction to Shalom Aleichem
The Wikipedia entry about Shalom Aleichem includes an explanation of the origins and background of the custom of singing ‘Shalom Aleichem’ on Friday night prior to Kiddush, along with the Hebrew, English and
The Shabbat Project: How to Sing Shalom Aleichem (Sephardic/Mizrahi)
This post includes a two-page step-by-step guide explaining how to recite Shalom Aleichem according to Sephardic (Mizrahi) tradition, including the Hebrew, English and transliterated text of the song. Whereas the general Ashkenzi tradition welcomes
Alternative HaMotzi: Humanistic & Theistic Version
In this alternative blessing over the bread, Lesley Reuter encourages readers to gratefully reflect on the source of their food, whether they believe it comes through human effort or Divine generosity. With both
Kabbalistic Poems Recited Before Kiddush: Atkinu Seudata & Azamer Bishvochin
This post includes both audio recordings and the Aramaic, English and transliterated texts of two poems that are often recited before Kiddush on Friday night, according to Jewish mystical traditions. Both poems are based
Moishe House: Friday Night Shabbat Rituals
This less than 5 minute long animated video introduces the basic Shabbat rituals performed on Friday night, including the candle lighting ceremony, the Kiddush over wine, the ritual hand washing, and the blessing over Challah.
Let’s Learn T’fillah: Netilat Yadayim
This short, interactive, animated video demonstrates how to recite the ritual hand-washing blessing, including a brief introduction and the Hebrew text. Part of the “Let’s Learn T’fillah” (Prayer) video series, this video was
Ritual Hand-Washing Upon Waking vs. Before Eating Bread
This short home video compares the different customs of washing one’s hands after waking up and before eating bread. Although the same blessing is recited in both cases, the order in which the
Hand-Washing & Silence on Shabbat
This home video explores the custom of refraining from speaking between washing one’s hands and making the blessing over the bread. Referencing a wide variety of halachic sources, Rabbi Drew Kaplan describes several different
Kiddush & Building Community: Humanistic Liturgy
This community-centered blessing over the wine was composed by Machar: The Washington Congregation for Secular Humanistic Judaism. Typical of this movement, founded in 1963 by the late Rabbi Sherwin T. Wine, the blessing omits any