High holidays

Grapevine: Goodbye, King George?

Movers and shakers in Israeli society.

Streets in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem are named after Britain’s King George V due to the Balfour Declaration supporting the establishment of a national home for the Jewish people in what was then known as Palestine, which was issued during his reign.
The empty streets in Tel Aviv, on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, and the holiest of Jewish holidays. Israel came to a standstill for 25-hours during the high holiday of Yom Kippur when observant Jews fast and Israelis are prohibited from driving, October 2, 2025.

Over 250 people injured in Yom Kippur road accidents in 2025, road safety group warns

The opening of the schoolyear.

16 days at home: Who approved the holiday break fiasco?

Franny Weiss with Holocaust survivor Adelle.

Beyond the Headlines: 'But I already heard the shofar at Selichot' - opinion


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.

Holocaust survivors from Ukraine celebrate High Holy Days in Israel for the first time

This year, Holocaust survivors Lena Panchako and Svetlana Mogilovkin celebrated Rosh Hashanah for the first time in Israel.

Lena Panchako