Topic: Belief and Practice
“The richness of the melodies, the music—it leaves you with an indelible imprint” during the days leading up to Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, says Rabbi Joshua Maroof. More
In advance of the Jewish High Holidays, “You pray the selichot, and you leave with the melodies on your lips and your mind throughout the whole day. The music stays in your heart.” More
“This haggadah is trying to draw in as many people as possible to participate in the service,” says artist Mark Podwal, who describes his illustrations for the text. “For me,” says Podwal, “my art is prayer.” More
“For symbols related to spring…I have flowers growing out of a menorah. I have the fruits of Israel. I have two pomegranates with Torah shields…so that each pomegranate is a mini-Torah.” More
Read an excerpt from IN THE COMPANY OF CHRIST: A PILGRIMAGE THROUGH HOLY WEEK by Benedicta Ward. More
“Just like oil gives light into a dark room, just like it brings warmth; for a Jew, it also brings warmth and light into his own personal life and into the world as a whole,” says Rabbi Mendy Bukiet. More
A Christmas pageant, says Calvin College professor of music and worship John Witvliet, is one of the best places in modern culture to witness “a genuine sense of mystery and even solemnity.” More
“Pilgrimages are undertaken because people want to move beyond their normal, mundane life,” says Virginia Raguin, a professor at the College of the Holy Cross. Raguin is also the curator of a traveling exhibit on pilgrimages in Buddhism, Christianity and Islam. More
Many Latinos observe what they call the Day of the Dead, when it’s believed the spirits of the departed return to Earth. There are different traditions for this across Latin America, and Hispanics in the U.S. are celebrating as well. More
As the world celebrates the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible, is its voice receding in American culture? More