Tradition

Can You Top This?

The new generation of kipot craftspeople have got you covered

By:

Melissa Jacobs with Marian Robinson, Inside Feature

hat Jews put on their heads before they pray is a deeply personal choice. Which is exactly why there are so many choices of kipot for men, women, teens and adults. There are special-occasion kipot and those for everyday wear, designer kipot and those that express the interests of their owner. Jake Kriger has a private collection of yarmulkes that...

Tradition

The Power of Prayer, the Power in Prayer

Reflecting on Sandy

By:

Harold Messinger

Hazzan Harold Messinger of Beth Am Israel in Penn Valley wrote the following prayer this week, reflecting on the storm and its aftermath.

Local

Ancient Ritual, Modern Misgivings

By:

Deborah Hirsch

Zoe Cohen and Ken Rosso are due to have their second child in September, and if it's a boy, they're already set on not circumcising him. The West Philly couple made the same decision three years ago when their son was born, and they have no regrets. As far as they're concerned, she says, honoring an ancient ritual isn't worth...

Tradition

Religious Life

By:

Fredda Sacharow

I f you were a Jew in Philadelphia during the latter half of the 19th century, one of an estimated 12,000 members of the tribe, your synagogue of choice was either a Reform or an Orthodox congregation. The Conservative and Reconstructionist movements, the independent minyanim, the popularity of the do-it-yourself brand of chavurot — all remained in the near or...