Jewish holidays

Religious protesters plan to storm Mount Meron in defiance of police orders ahead of Lag Ba'omer

Israel Police announced on Sunday morning that the annual Lag Ba’omer pilgrimage at Mount Meron will not take place, and that roads leading to the area have already been blocked.

Jewish worshippers visit the gravesite of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai (Rashbi) in Meron, northern Israel, ahead of the Jewish holiday of Lag BaOmer, May 1, 2026.
PROF. YISRAEL AUMANN speaks at a Nov. 2005 news conference at the Hebrew University, after winning the Nobel Prize in Economics for his work on conflict and cooperation through game theory analysis. He shares the prize with American economist Thomas Schelling.

From Passover to sirens: Why Jewish survival still demands action - opinion

Grilled fruit with honey lemon glaze.

In the kitchen with Henny: Marinade magic for your grill

REPRESENTATIVES OF the Chief Rabbinate of Israel cross Jaffa Street in Jerusalem as they deliver a kosher certificate to a local restaurant.

Time for Israel’s non-kosher public to push back - opinion


On board for Hanukkah: Fresh, delicious twist for the holiday

Latke focaccia and plenty of deli-style sides, a Hanukkah table that is easy, homey, and different.

Henny Shor.

Hanukkah miracle: Israel discovers evidence of Judah Maccabee’s battlefield near Jerusalem

The site is widely identified with the ancient village of Bet Zecharia, where the Seleucid army and the forces of Judah Maccabee clashed in what is known as the fifth Maccabean battle.

A bronze coin from the Asia Minor city of Side found at Horbat Bet Zecharia south of Jerusalem, where the Maccabees fought the Greek Seleucid army.

US 'Dancing with the Stars' airs first Hanukkah-themed dance in holiday special

Viewers saw Alan Bersten and Valentin Chmerkovskiy, both Jewish, dancing to “Miracle” by Matisyahu.

Dancing with the Stars Hanukkah Special, December 7, 2025

From golems to Horton to banana menorahs: This year’s Hanukkah kids’ books light up the imagination

Three titles garnered the recommendation of the Association of Jewish Libraries: “Construction Site, Hanukkah Lights,” “Banana Menorah,” and “Lost and Found Hanukkah.”

 An illustrative photo of religious books.

Camping season breaks records – and it's just the first sign of the next trend

High vacation costs, the need to escape urban stress, and upgraded sites created a season where more Israelis chose to holiday in tents under the stars.

Camping in nature.

Of mourning and morning: Toward a new understanding of Simchat Torah

Simchat Torah was never a festival of polarity. Happiness was never its sole emotion. Between death and creation, there is commemoration.

An illustrative image of hands reaching toward each other.

Simchat Torah: Three ways to find joy in the holiday post-Oct. 7

We have suffered immensely since the Simchat Torah of October 7. But for all the angst and anxiety, there is hope for the future, because we are a nation of eternity.

DANCING ON Simchat Torah at the Har Hamor Yeshiva in Jerusalem, in 2024.

Simchat Torah: Celebrating and honoring authentic Jewish values

Which messages of Torah are we meant to celebrate and honor as our legacy on Simchat Torah?

WORSHIPERS PRAY in memory of the victims of the October 7th massacre and for the release of Israelis held hostage in the Gaza Strip, on the morning of Simchat Torah, in Jerusalem, in 2024.

Light after October 7: A Simchat Torah reflection from an American Jew

This, I think, is the message of Simchat Torah: to hold firmly in one’s imagination the joyful possibility of a year made truly new.

CELEBRANTS CARRY Torah scrolls as they dance during Simchat Torah at Rabin Square in Tel Aviv in 2024.

The proven method that will get you out of post-holiday fatigue

Did you also wake up tired and exhausted this morning, not knowing how you’ll survive the coming days? It’s happening to all of us right now, and there are a few things you can do to recover.

A woman yawning