High holidays

'God does not do a half job,' Safed's Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu says following Maduro's detention

“The shared denominator is clear,” Eliyahu wrote, describing systems built on oppression, corruption, and fear, and arguing that such a rule “will not survive over time,” according to the statement. 

Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu and Jewish children take part in a special prayer for rain at the Kinneret, the Sea of Galilee, in northern Israel, October 29, 2025.
Vert Jerusalem Hotel.

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Shabbat candles

Sukkot candle lighting times for Israel and US

Intima

Brand news: The hottest holiday launches


Western Wall stones undergo inspection before Rosh Hashanah

This check is conducted annually around Rosh Hashanah and Passover, to make sure that Western Wall prayer does not pose a safety risk to anyone.

 Engineers conduct their bi-annual inspection of the Western Wall in preparation for the High Holy Days on August 29, 2023.

25,000 Jews gather for Selichot prayers at Western Wall

The Western Wall Heritage Foundation planned 17 central Selichot services for the thousands of worshippers expected this year.

 Central Selichot services at the Western Wall in Jerusalem. August 24, 2023

Jewish activists support climate march scheduled for Rosh Hashanah

The march will take place days before global leaders are set to descend on the city for the United Nations’ Climate Ambition Summit.

Thousands of Israeli youth protesting the climate crisis in Tel Aviv, March 19, 2021.

Grapevine: Holiday seats

Movers and shakers in Israeli society.

Jerusalem Great Synagogue

Calling all engineers: We need better Shabbat elevators - opinion

Are there any electrical and/or mechanical engineers out there willing to propose a halachically acceptable solution to the proper religious authorities?

 AN ELEVATOR display shows the floor number where it has arrived. There is also a sign that reads ‘Shabbat mode,’ to indicate that it can function as a Shabbat elevator. The photo was taken on a weekday.

Did tourism in Jerusalem recover over the High Holy Days?

During the months of September and October, the streets of Jerusalem were full of visitors – tourists from abroad, pilgrims and families of Israelis who returned to visit the capital.

 MAMILLA MALL: Empty during lockdown (pictured Dec. 2020), bustling on chagim.

'And You Shall Tell Your Son': A book to unite Jews of all backgrounds - review

The biblical commandment “And you shall tell your son” is meant to ensure that children will become familiar with the history of their people via the experience of celebrating the holidays.

 Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur act as an anchor for the Jewish people.

Israeli public has become accustomed to daily terror attacks - opinion

A day that ends without a body count is considered a miracle – one that doesn’t always happen.

 The scene of a terror attack near east Jerusalem's Shuafat, October 8, 2022

Reflections on antisemitism during the holidays: Here's what happened - opinion

Kanye West, COVID-19, and politics were discussed at this year's holiday tables. Everyone agreed that Jew-hatred is becoming more pervasive in the US.

Women reading selichot -- Jewish penitential poems and prayers said leading up to the High Holidays -- at the Western Wall before Rosh Hashana

The Torah and the Jewish people have an age-old love affair - opinion

The historian Cecil Roth had a theory that Simhat Torah was modeled on a wedding, and that the festival's customs are derived from Jewish marriage.

 Celebrations take place at the Western Wall after the conclusion of Simhat Torah, last year.