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Tishri 22, the day after the seventh day of Sukkot, is the holiday Shemini Atzeret. In Israel, Shemini Atzeret is also the holiday of Simchat Torah. Outside of Israel, where extra days of holidays are held, only the second day of Shemini Atzeret is Simchat Torah: Shemini Atzeret is Tishri 22 and 23, while Simchat Torah is Tishri 23.

These two holidays are commonly thought of as part of Sukkot, but that is technically incorrect; Shemini Atzeret is a holiday in its own right and does not involve some of the special observances of Sukkot. We do not take up the lulav and etrog on these days, and our dwelling in the sukkah is more limited, and performed without reciting a blessing.

Duration : 0:4:40

Technorati Tags: Atzeret, Blog, Festival, Holiday, israel, Jewish, jews, judaism, People, Shemini, Simchat, Torah

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The Sabbath (or Shabbat, as it is called in Hebrew) is one of the best known and least understood of all Jewish observances. People who do not observe Shabbat think of it as a day filled with stifling restrictions, or as a day of prayer like the Christian Sabbath. But to those who observe Shabbat, it is a precious gift from G-d, a day of great joy eagerly awaited throughout the week, a time when we can set aside all of our weekday concerns and devote ourselves to higher pursuits. In Jewish literature, poetry and music, Shabbat is described as a bride or queen, as in the popular Shabbat hymn Lecha Dodi Likrat Kallah (come, my beloved, to meet the [Sabbath] bride). It is said “more than Israel has kept Shabbat, Shabbat has kept Israel.”

Duration : 0:5:57

Technorati Tags: Blog, Festival, Holidays, israel, Jewish, jews, judaism, People, Sabbath, shabbat

Produced by Emmy-Award-winning producer, director, writer, and cinematographer Lionel Friedberg, A SACRED DUTY will take its place alongside Al Gore’s AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH and Leonardo di Caprio’s THE ELEVENTH HOUR as another powerful expose of the dangers of global warming. However, it goes beyond the latter two films, by showing how religious responses can make a major difference and why a shift toward plant-based diets is an essential part of efforts to reduce global climate change and other environmental threats.

Duration : 1:0:16

Technorati Tags: and, Ecology, enviroment, Global, judaism, JVNA, Vegetarianism, warming

InOverOurHeads, the first unscripted Jewish reality television series, is now on the first global network devoted to what it means to be Jewish, JLTV – the Jewish Life Television Network. InOverOurHeads sneaks a peek at the crazy lives of a few close friends. Coping with the realities of their restless existence as young, Jewish parents, they debate the absurd, laugh at convention, and reevaluate their ideals in a humorous, yet introspective way. Maintaining a decorum not quite fitting for shul [synagogue, the topics wander into sensitive areas such as marriage, parenting, religion, gender issues, and education. The discussions are honest and irreverent, often with a deep spiritual undertone. They rip apart stereotypes of observant Jews – although like most Jews, they hardly ever agree. InOverOurHeads airs Tuesdays at 8pm Eastern and 9pm Pacific, broadcasting nationwide on DirecTV channel 366, in select metropolitan areas via nationwide affiliations with Time Warner and Comcast, and online at www.jltv.tv. (Please see www.inoverourheads.com for additional air times.) JLTV currently reaches 26 million homes and is anticipated to expand to 40 million homes by year end.

Duration : 0:9:59

Technorati Tags: Aviv, bashert, basherte, Boro, Boston, Boteach, Brooklyn, Chasidic, Chassidic, Clubbing, Clubs, Conservative, dance, Dancing, Expectation, Five, Flatbush, Frum, Greenhouse, Halachic, Hasidic, Hassidic, israel, jerusalem, Jewish, JLTV, judaism, kabala, kabbala, kabbalah, Lakewood, Manhattan, mate, mates, matisyahu, Monsey, music, Network, new, Observant, orthodox, Park, Rabbi, Reform, religion, religious, shalom, Sharon, Shmuley, soul, soulmate, soulmates, spiritual, Spirituality, Television, Tl, Torah, Towns, tv, Yerushalayim, york, zivug

InOverOurHeads, the first unscripted Jewish reality television series, is now on the first global network devoted to what it means to be Jewish, JLTV – the Jewish Life Television Network. InOverOurHeads sneaks a peek at the crazy lives of a few close friends. Coping with the realities of their restless existence as young, Jewish parents, they debate the absurd, laugh at convention, and reevaluate their ideals in a humorous, yet introspective way. Maintaining a decorum not quite fitting for shul [synagogue, the topics wander into sensitive areas such as marriage, parenting, religion, gender issues, and education. The discussions are honest and irreverent, often with a deep spiritual undertone. They rip apart stereotypes of observant Jews – although like most Jews, they hardly ever agree. InOverOurHeads airs Tuesdays at 8pm Eastern and 9pm Pacific, broadcasting nationwide on DirecTV channel 366, in select metropolitan areas via nationwide affiliations with Time Warner and Comcast, and online at www.jltv.tv. (Please see www.inoverourheads.com for additional air times.) JLTV currently reaches 26 million homes and is anticipated to expand to 40 million homes by year end.

Duration : 0:9:53

Technorati Tags: bashert, basherte, Boro, Boston, Brooklyn, Chasidic, Chassidic, Clubbing, Clubs, dance, Dancing, Five, Flatbush, Greenhouse, Hasidic, Hassidic, israel, Jewish, JLTV, judaism, kabala, kabbala, kabbalah, Lakewood, mate, mates, matisyahu, Monsey, music, Network, new, Park, shalom, Sharon, soul, soulmate, soulmates, Television, Torah, Towns, tv, york, zivug

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Sukkot is the last of the Shalosh R’galim (three pilgrimage festivals). Like Passover and Shavu’ot, Sukkot has a dual significance: historical and agricultural. Historically, Sukkot commemorates the forty-year period during which the children of Israel were wandering in the desert, living in temporary shelters. Agriculturally, Sukkot is a harvest festival and is sometimes referred to as Chag Ha-Asif Chag Ha-Asif
(in Hebrew), the Festival of Ingathering

Duration : 0:8:21

Technorati Tags: Blog, Festival, Holiday, israel, Jewish, jews, judaism, People, sukkot

Expert: Russ Handler
Contact: www.rhconsumernetwork.com
Bio: Russ Handler owns an online travel agency.
Filmmaker: Christopher Rokosz

Duration : 0:1:39

Technorati Tags: hanukkah, Hebrew, jew, jewish traditions, judaic traditions, judaism, religion, religious traditions, traditions

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Yom Kippur is probably the most important holiday of the Jewish year. Many Jews who do not observe any other Jewish custom will refrain from work, fast and/or attend synagogue services on this day. Yom Kippur occurs on the 10th day of Tishri. The holiday is instituted at Leviticus 23:26 et seq.

The name “Yom Kippur” means “Day of Atonement,” and that pretty much explains what the holiday is. It is a day set aside to “afflict the soul,” to atone for the sins of the past year. In Days of Awe, I mentioned the “books” in which G-d inscribes all of our names. On Yom Kippur, the judgment entered in these books is sealed. This day is, essentially, your last appeal, your last chance to change the judgment, to demonstrate your repentance and make amends.

Duration : 0:6:51

Technorati Tags: Blog, Festival, Holiday, israel, Jewish, jews, judaism, Kippur, People, Yom

The first Episode is called, “The Dawn of the Century” and covers 1900 – 1910.

This episode introduces the uniqueness of Jewish history in the 20th century within the
context of world history. At the turn of the 20th century, Jews were scattered across the
globe, representing only ¼ of one percent of the worlds population. It was a time of
empires, imperial rule and colonial expansionism. In Russia the masses, including the
Jews, lived in dire poverty which was compounded by grassroots antisemitism. In 1905
the Russian masses revolted and there was a general strike. On Bloody Sunday the
Czar responded with force. The Czar did not abdicate until 1917, which is typically the
date given for the second Russian Revolution, which, in turn, led to increased pogroms
against the Jews. The pogroms and the economic conditions forced approximately
40% of Jewish population to leave the Russian Empire and go to Western countries
including the United States and to Palestine and other countries as far away as South
Africa and Australia.

Emigration and the Enlightenment presented Jews with the dilemma and opportunity to
maintain or reject their traditional Jewish upbringing, and many decided to forgo their
traditional Judaism and blend in with their larger non-Jewish society. Within the
traditional Jewish world, change was occurring as well, with the rise and acceptance of
the Mussar Movement, an ethical approach to Judaism. Because Jews were not
allowed into institutions of higher education in Eastern Europe, most of them went to
study in yeshivas to sharpen their intellect. The traditional yeshiva, unintentionally,
became a breeding ground for all philosophies, Jewish and secular alike. Zionism
grew as a national movement, and was led by secular Jews antithetical to traditional
Judaism. While most rabbis rejected Zionism and its leaders, because of their
nontraditional beliefs, a minority of rabbis developed religious Zionism, which combined
traditional Judaism with Zionist philosophy. The Old Yishuv Jews, who had settled in
Palestine in the late 1800s, were committed to traditional Judaism and rejected
secular, nationalistic ideas of the New Yishuv Zionists.

The Sephardic Jews living in Moslem and Arab countries at the turn of the 20th
Century maintained their own rich Jewish traditions and heritage, which often differed
from those of the Ashkenazim. There was relative peace within the Jewish community
and among the leadership in these Arab and Moslem countries, and although life was
sometimes difficult, these Sephardic Jews did not experience, by and large, pogroms
or the influences of the Enlightenment or Reform Judaism.

In Europe, Jews were the leaders of the Labor and Socialist movements and
spearheaded the establishment of labor unions in America. The challenge of
assimilation in the United States was the greatest difficulty confronting Jewish
immigrants. Attempts were made to stem the tide. Reform Judaism became a symbol
of acceptance into modern American society and Dr. Solomon Schechter initiated the
Universal Synagogue movement which became Conservative Judaism. Also
Sephardic and Ashkenazic Jewish immigrants had to find their respective places within
the Jewish community and in their new host country, the United States, as well..
A small, strong group of American Jewish immigrants managed to cling to their Jewish
traditions and adapt themselves to the new reality in America. Meanwhile, for Jews
around the world, with the threat of WWI looming, the imperial race for supremacy was
escalating.

Duration : 1:7:9

Technorati Tags: documentary, Jewish, jews, judaism, movie

Drawn and first published during the rise of Hitler, the Passover Haggadah of Polish-Jewish artist Arthur Szyk (1894-1951) is a triumphant and enduring work of hope and courage, and the supreme expression of one artist’s love for his people and his heritage. The new luxury edition of The Szyk Haggadah, limited to only 300 copies, is a landmark of jewish art and culture. For more information, please visit www.szyk.com.

Duration : 0:4:33

Technorati Tags: Art, arthur, Bible, book arts, bookmaking, calligraphy, digital printing, Epson printer, fine book, hagada, haggada, haggadah, Hebrew, holocaust, illumination, image reproduction, ink jet, israel, jew, Jewish, Jewish Art, jewish artist, jewish book, Judaica, judaism, Passover, passover haggadah, Pesach, Poland, printing, rare book, szyk, zionism