Welcome to the Shir Tikvah online library (sefria in Hebrew) where we post documents for sharing amongst ourselves. Documents here are listed in order of “most recent first.”

Study Texts on the Nature of the State of Israel

Pesakh: Meaning and Practice

Pesakh 5771: My Liberation is Yours by Michael Walzer (link to article)

Contemporary Additions to the Passover Seder (link to articles)

The Five Prohibited Grains of Pesakh (link to article)

Orange on Seder Plate (link to pdf)

More Than 4 Questions (link to pdf)

Leaving Mitzrayim (link to pdf)

Feminist Seder (link to pdf)

Congregational Seder Guide (link to pdf)

Taking Care of Hametz/Bedikat Biur Hametz (link to pdf)

Orange on Seder Plate (link to pdf)

Kitniyot: Israeli Masorti Ruling (link to article)

Kitniyot: Not Quite Hametz (link to article)

Instructions for How to Make Matzah (link to website)

Torah Study

Check this out: God Didn’t Say That, by scholar Joel Hoffman (link to website)

‘Who Wrote The Torah? Does It Matter?’ Explore more here. (link to website)

That Blue String in your Tzitzit

NY Times article by Dina Kraft: what color was tekhelet? (link to article)

Death and Mourning

Honoring the Dead: K’vod haMeyt

Readings for Ten Lessons on the Ten Sefirot

Ten: ten (link to pdf)

Excerpts from Rabbi Ariel’s forthcoming book d’kula had: Because All Is One: introduction-to-sefirot-study (link to pdf)

Reading before the eighth week of Rabbi’s Sefirot class: reading-before-the-eighth-week-of-rabbis-sefirot-class (link to pdf)

Balance: Sefirotic Seeing: balance (link to pdf)

Conclusion, to be read at the end of Rabbi’s course: conclusion (link to pdf)

Tefilah

The Amidah: from My Jewish Learning

The Aliyah: from My Jewish Learning

Rosh Hodesh

Rosh Hodesh from the Jewish Virtual Library

Audio Section Features Lectures by Dr. Byron Sherwin and Bradley Burston
The Jewish Review has launched a new audio section on their website. The first selections that are offered are from Dr. Sherwin’s delivery of the d’var Torah and Bradley Burston’s lecture sponsored by J Street. To hear them, click here to select and download audio files.

Preparing for the Days of Awe
1. The preparatory month of Elul
During the month of Elul in 5770 Rabbi Ariel invites you to join her in reading Creating an Ethical Jewish Life: A Practical Introduction to Classic Teachings on How to Be a Jew, by Dr. Byron Sherwin. Dr. Sherwin will be our Shir Tikvah Bi-Annual Visiting Scholar in October. We will have copies of the book in the office for you to buy at a reduced price, or get yours here:link to Powell’s Books website

We will discuss different themes in the book during tefilah each erev Shabbat of Elul: Aug 13, 20, 27, and Sept 3.

Selikhot: Special Prayers for the month of Elul (link to article)

2. The Themes of the Days of Awe
There are many specific themes and rituals for the High Holy Days. Here you’ll find some interesting articles
to shed light on different aspects of the Ten Days. Enjoy!

Article on Shofar (link to article)

Guide to Shofar Service of Sounds (link to pdf)

Unetaneh Tokef (link to article)
Leonard Cohen ‘Who by Fire’ video (with an unbelievable saxophone solo)(link to video)
Ten Days of Awe (link to article)
Apples and Honey(link to article)
Scapegoating (link to article)
Scapegoat Ritual (link to pdf)
Ten Days of Repentance (link to article)
Repentance on Yom Kippur (link to article)

Gossip and Jewish Law

Lashon HaRa (link to article)

What Jewish Communities Look Like in the 21st Century

National Spiritual Communities Study (link to pdf)

Articles Explaining Aspects of Jewish Ethics

Ethics-Ba’al Middot (link to article)

Gemilut Hasadim (link to article)

Imitating God (link to article)

Jewish Ethics-Judicial Procedures (link to article)

Some Modern Ethical Principles and their Jewish Antecedents (link to article)

Who is an Ethical Master (link to article)