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.”

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)

Pesakh: Meaning and Practice

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)

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)