Prayer

When prayer is weaponized: Preserving faith’s sincerity in a politicized world - opinion

True prayer lights the heart and softens the soul; it cannot be weaponized without losing meaning.

An illustrative photograph of a man wearing tefillin
Jacob crossed his hands when blessing Ephraim and Manasseh

Parashat Vayechi: Change begins with you

A mosaic of King David (illustartive)

Parashat Vayechi: King David's lesson in leadership

Israel to allow daytime Jewish prayer at Joseph’s Tomb for first time in 25 years

Israel to allow daylight pilgrimage at Joseph’s tomb for first time in 25 years


David’s dilemma: Having a healthier relationship with God - opinion

May the godliness within each of us protect the many thousands of Davids and Devorahs out there fighting for our lives and our future.

 A SOLDIER prays at the Western Wall. In times of darkness, uncertainty can shroud our faith, and our prayers may feel like whispers in the void, says the writer.

Turning to Jerusalem in prayer: Diaspora communities rally behind Israel through services, psalms

“Communities and synagogues, all over the Jewish world, certainly all over the US and Canada, have used this moment to respond with significant prayer.”

 Hundreds of people pray at the Kadoorie Mekor Haim Synagogue in Porto on Yom Kippur (The photograph was taken from a surveillance camera).

'Jewish Concepts of Divine Oneness:' What does it mean to say ‘Hashem is One’? - review

Whether seen as a statement of exclusive loyalty, divine unity, or cosmic uniqueness, the “Shema” serves as a window into the diversity of Jewish monotheistic expression.

 People dance with a Sefer Torah, Jerusalem

Should Jews pray for a miracle when death is inevitable?

Rather than abandon prayer in the face of tragedy, Judaism asks us to deepen it. We do not pray to overturn nature but to find strength within the divine natural order.

 IS IT appropriate to pray for miracles?

Beyond the headlines: A weekly glimpse into the Israel you won’t read about in the news  

Amid crisis, a quiet spiritual awakening is taking root in the Jewish world, marked by unity, resilience, and renewed faith.

 (R) Brody shows the new tefillin that he bought himself (L) Steve's tefillin selfies, May, 2025.

Family of Haymanot Kasau issues public invite to prayer and rally ceremony

Haymanot Kasau,10, was abducted from the Safed Absorption Center in late February 2024. Since then, her family has voraciously advocated for her release.

 Haymanot Kasau's family in the Knesset.

Sotheby’s to auction earliest known kiddush cup

A 1,000-year-old kiddush cup valued at up to $5M will be auctioned by Sotheby’s this fall, marking the oldest known Jewish artifact from the Middle Ages.

 Sotheby's is auctioning what it says is the earliest known kiddush cup.

Most American Jews say they rarely or never pray, new poll finds

A new Pew study finds a sharp decline in regular prayer among American Jews, with 58% now saying they seldom or never pray, up from 45% in 2014.

 Rabbi David Kalb, center, leads a crowd of Jewish Deadheads in prayer at Citi Field's Jackie Robinson Rotunda on June 21, 2023.

Tu Bishvat and praying for the future

The notion of a winter prayer for an etrog may seem strange. We might wonder: Is this prayer still meaningful and relevant?

 CHECKING AN etrog for blemishes in Jerusalem’s Mea She’arim neighborhood, ahead of Sukkot.

'My Zionism has only grown stronger,' freed hostage says at Washington prayer event

"We have to continue to the second stage and make sure all our loved ones come back," freed captive Noa Argamani said to the crowd.

Supporters calling for a return of the hostages gathered for national prayer.