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Resources for the Days of Awe and Sukkot

Rosh Hashanah, The New Year

  • Audio Interview: Rosh Hashana
    By Rabbi Richard Hirsh, Rabbi Shawn Zevit
    Join Rabbis Hirsh and Zevit in a rich and meaningful dialogue about one of the most powerful and widely celebrated times of the Jewish Year Cycle. How did the idea and timing of a Jewish New Year evolve? What are the key practices and structures that express the central ideas of this High Holy Day? What are particular Reconstructionist approaches? An episode of Heart, Mind and Spirit, the first regularly scheduled Reconstructionist radio show in the history of the movement.

  • Bibliography: Holiday Book List for Educators
    By Rabbi Shai Gluskin
    Great books for teaching kids about Jewish holidays. Contains a section of general books covering multiple holidays, books to teach about God and the holidays as well as special sections for books about Hanukah and the High Holy Days.

  • Dvar Torah: Being Part of the Universe
    By Mel Scult
    Let us begin by remembering that the spiritual always points toward the unity of things not their division. Judaism tries to help us to work from a higher perspective. To celebrate the creation of the ...

  • Dvar Torah: God and People Mutually Accountable
    By Rabbi Shai Gluskin
    On these holy days we attempt to hold ourselves accountable. And yet the tradition also acknowledges that the world is harsh. We need compassion and care to feel safe in this dangerous place. The liturgy ...

  • Dvar Torah: Our Akeidah, Our Binding
    By Ellen Dannin
    Impressionistic, first person, emotional response to the Binding of Isaac story. This portion is read as part of the annual Torah reading cycle but it was also picked out, at least since rabbinic times, to be read on Rosh Hashanah, the New Year Festival.

  • Dvar Torah: The Akeida: Questions of Sacrifice
    By Syd Nestel
    Each year, on the second day of Rosh Hashana we discuss the Akeida - the story for the binding and near sacrifice of Isaac. Each year we, collectively, struggle with the psychological impact and the personal ...

  • Dvar Torah: Why on earth are we here?
    By Rabbi Steven Pik-Nathan
    Why on earth are we here? You may think I'm joking, or perhaps just trying to wake you up from your slumber. Well, in part perhaps I am. But seriously, I am asking the ...

  • Lesson Plan: Rosh Hashanah Experience
    By Michal Marks
    A Rosh Hashanah program appropriate for primary and secondary school students. This program uses multiple stations, which creates a diversity of activities and allows for many students to participate at once.

  • Listserve Thread: High Holiday Children's Services
    By Sara Mosenkis
    Children's High Holiday services are a recurring topic of discussion on the edtalk listserv. Here are conversations from March 2003 and May-June 2004. There are posts from four educators suggesting different formats and resources for children of various ages.

  • Music: High Holiday Liturgy
    By Rabbi Alan LaPayover
    Audio clips of the High Holy Day liturgy. Great for folks preparing to lead services for the Days of Awe.

  • Program Description: Tzedakah And The Jewish Holidays: Giving For Social Change
    By Rabbi Shawn Zevit
    Ideas for giving opportunities throughout the Jewish year. Connects each Jewish holiday to the concept of tzedakah and recommends a relevant type of benficiary to support.

Yom Kippur, The Day of Atonement

Sukkot

  • Audio Interview: Sukkot
    By Rabbi Vivian Schirn, Rabbi Shawn Zevit
    Rabbi Vivian Schirn discusses the origins, development and practices of the fall Festival of Booths, with attention to home and synagogue celebration in this episode of Heart, Mind and Spirit, the first regularly scheduled Reconstructionist radio show in the history of the movement.

  • Dvar Torah: Sukkot: Yom Kippur's Counterbalance
    By Rabbi Michael Cohen
    Imagine Yom Kippur, the synagogue packed for the holiest day of the year. The anticipation of the day is upon everyone as they take their seats. But suppose something different occurs: Mahzorim for Sukkot are ...

  • Program Description: Tzedakah And The Jewish Holidays: Giving For Social Change
    By Rabbi Shawn Zevit
    Ideas for giving opportunities throughout the Jewish year. Connects each Jewish holiday to the concept of tzedakah and recommends a relevant type of benficiary to support.

  • Ritual: Reconstructionist Sukkot
    By JRF Midwest Congregations
    For Sukkot of 5767 (2006) a group of JRF's Midwest congregations decided to collaboratively create a Sukkot supplement to be used in their synagogues. The idea was to bring ritually oriented folk together from multiple synagogues to create something of value that all these synagogues, and others could use. Then JRF Regional Director Dina April functioned as organizer and editor for the project.