High holidays

Grapevine: Goodbye, King George?

Movers and shakers in Israeli society.

Streets in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem are named after Britain’s King George V due to the Balfour Declaration supporting the establishment of a national home for the Jewish people in what was then known as Palestine, which was issued during his reign.
The empty streets in Tel Aviv, on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, and the holiest of Jewish holidays. Israel came to a standstill for 25-hours during the high holiday of Yom Kippur when observant Jews fast and Israelis are prohibited from driving, October 2, 2025.

Over 250 people injured in Yom Kippur road accidents in 2025, road safety group warns

The opening of the schoolyear.

16 days at home: Who approved the holiday break fiasco?

Franny Weiss with Holocaust survivor Adelle.

Beyond the Headlines: 'But I already heard the shofar at Selichot' - opinion


This Yom Kippur, I prayed with all my might - opinion

Encountering a transformative Yom Kippur, and finding meaning in prayer amid war and grief.

 ON A STREET in Jerusalem, Hersh Goldberg-Polin is depicted in a mural created by friends. When we learned of Yahya Sinwar’s demise mere days after Yom Kippur, I couldn’t help but think that our prayers had something to do with it; maybe it was even thanks to Hersh, says the writer.

The intangibles of the war can’t be measured - opinion

A week of festivity was quickly turned into a week of funerals, and joy was turned into sadness.

 AVIAD NEIMAN, a father of four little children and husband to a young wife, fell a few hours before Simchat Torah this year in Lebanon.

No plans for Sukkot? A variety of free activities throughout the holiday offer family quality time

There are plenty of free activities to enjoy with your family this Chol Hamoed Sukkot all over Israel.

A sukkah

In this Jewish season of forgiveness, I’m asking for permission - opinion

In a year of hardship, can ancient rituals still resonate?

 "I want permission to pray for peace between nations, between peoples, between countries."

The sounds of the High Holidays in Ofakim

Shuki, a participant in JDC's "Meshiv HaRuach" programs in Ofakim, blows the shofar.

Year after the horror: Rekindling Jewish identity in the wake of tragedy

In the face of unspeakable violence and global hatred, the Jewish people confront their identity, mission, and resilience, guided by faith, history, and the promise of a brighter future in 5785.

 Rabbi Sholom Lipskar.

Rosh Hashanah: A time to recognize Israel's achievements amid challenges - opinion

A rabbi urges Jews to recognize Israel's military and diplomatic achievements this New Year, balancing acknowledgment of challenges with pride in recent successes.

 An illustrative photo of a man blowing a shofar, a ceremonial ram's horn, which is done repeatedly on Rosh Hashanah.

Shofar shortage? War impacts Jerusalem seller as shipping delays, costs spike

This year has been challenging for Refoua, who sells Judaica gifts and souvenirs in a shop in downtown Jerusalem. The war has decimated tourism and spiked shipping costs.

 Jan-Elazar Refoua in his shop in Jerusalem, in front of pictures of three of his sons who are serving in reserves (Marc Israel Sellem)

For a Jewish world in despair, we need High Holiday prayers that meet the moment - opinion

This new year demands that we never forget that mutual responsibility — the idea that all Jews everywhere belong to each other — isn’t a burden but a blessing.

 This year, writes Alex Weiser, the standard liturgy has to stand up against incredible sadness.

From Hostages Square, high holiday prayers aim to transcend Israel’s fractured politics

A musical Selichot service in Hostages Square united Israelis from across the political spectrum, focusing on prayers for hostages’ return while maintaining a neutral, non-political space

 Rabba Anat Sharbat leads Selichot services in Tel Aviv's Hostages Square, Sept. 22, 2024.