Certainly, a chazzan can make—or break—the Yamim Noraim experience. Given the importance of the chazzan to the upcoming holidays, it’s worth exploring the history of singing in shul.

Our lack of meaningful personal hachanah may well lie at the root of many of our religious challenges. 

Ten meaningful things you can do during the forty days of Elul and the Aseret Yemei Teshuvah to prepare spiritually and emotionally for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

What does it take to build a community? In the articles ahead, we meet some of the men and women whose steady efforts have shaped the rhythm of Jewish life in their cities.

“He sat with me for half an hour, called his wife, took money from one place, borrowed from another place and addressed the deficit . . . From that moment, by default, he took financial responsibility for the school.”

Shaun and Gary have both rolled up their sleeves and thrown themselves into local life, doing their part to take the community to the next level. 

“I don’t think that this type of relationship between Modern Orthodox and Chassidic Jews exists anywhere else.”

Even families that move away for one reason or another always come back to attend a Springfield simchah.

The invitation came as a surprise to Kirschner. “Growing up, I never saw myself as a leader and never sought out leadership positions.” 

To be heavily involved in an initiative like this, you must have thick skin . . . . And that’s before you start fundraising or recruiting a board.

“The experience in Baltimore made us realize that things can actually fall apart. . . . We can’t take it for granted that an institution will survive without hard work.”  

Far from the frum frenzy, one newly Southern Jew reflects on finding home—and herself—deep in the heart of Memphis. 

Though Ariel always had religious residents, they were a small minority. That has changed. 

How OU Israel’s Teen Center is changing young lives in Ariel

“We want to let our students feel a part of the Israeli melody.”

What do you need to build a community?

Explore the history of Shabbat candle lighting with this photo essay.

The rabbinic mitzvah to mark the onset of Shabbat by lighting candles is an ancient and important halachah.

“In all my eighty-two years, I’ve never regretted taking Shabbat, but I’ve regretted every Shabbat I didn’t take.” 

None of us would have chosen this path. Yet somehow, in the aftermath of our greatest losses, we found each other.

From the moment Agam was abducted from her army base in the Gaza Envelope on October 7, the rest of Meirav’s family joined her in keeping Shabbat. 

During my formative years, separation and divorce were taboo topics—no one spoke about them.

“When an ad for the ASK OU Summer 2025 Women’s Kashruth Experience caught my eye, I was intrigued and applied to join the program.”

Some delicious ways to incorporate apples in your menus and holiday table

Jewish Customs: Exploring Common and Uncommon Minhagim; Al HaRishonim Ve’Al Ha’Acharonim; Mastering the Mind: A Guide to Focused Learning and Torah Retention  

Halachic Judaism, Rabbi Student suggests, may well have been brought into its democratic age thanks to the internet’s ubiquity . . . 

In that tiny shul, the prayers of survivors hung heavy in the air.