Tag
How To
32 articles
How to Light Shabbat Candles: A Step-by-Step Guide
Everything you need to know about lighting Shabbat candles — when to light, who lights, how many candles, the blessing in Hebrew and English, and the beautiful custom of covering your eyes.
How to Set Up a Kosher Kitchen: A Practical Guide
A practical, no-nonsense guide to setting up a kosher kitchen — separate dishes, labeling, waiting periods, kashering existing equipment, and what you actually need to buy.
How to Run a Passover Seder: The Complete Host Guide
Everything a first-time host needs: shopping list, table setup, the 15 steps of the seder, timing tips, keeping kids engaged, and getting from 'Kadeish' to 'Nirtzah' without losing anyone.
How to Build a Sukkah: Materials, Rules, and Creative Solutions
A practical guide to building a sukkah — minimum dimensions, wall requirements, schach rules, decorating ideas, and creative solutions for apartments, balconies, and small spaces.
How to Wear a Tallit: Step-by-Step Guide to the Jewish Prayer Shawl
A step-by-step guide to wearing a tallit — from the blessing to the wrapping — plus when to wear it, who wears it, and the meaning behind the fringes.
How to Read a Torah Portion
A practical guide to reading and understanding the weekly Torah portion — from finding the text to engaging with traditional commentaries and making the parashah personally meaningful.
How to Make a Shiva Call
Making a shiva call — visiting a mourning family — is one of Judaism's most important mitzvot. This guide explains what to expect, what to say, and how to bring genuine comfort.
How to Light a Yahrzeit Candle
A step-by-step guide to lighting a yahrzeit memorial candle — when to light it, where to place it, what to say, and the meaning behind this simple but powerful Jewish tradition.
How to Arrange a Jewish Funeral
A practical guide to arranging a Jewish funeral — from the immediate steps after death through burial, covering traditions, logistics, and what to expect.
How to Host a Shabbat Dinner
A complete guide to hosting a Shabbat dinner — from shopping and timing to candle lighting, kiddush, hamotzi, and the meal itself. Whether it's your first time or your five hundredth, here's how to make Friday night beautiful.
Planning a Bar Mitzvah: An 18-Month Timeline
Planning a bar or bat mitzvah can feel overwhelming. This 18-month countdown covers everything — choosing a date, finding a tutor, booking the venue, invitations, catering, entertainment, photography, budget, and guest etiquette.
Planning a Passover Seder: Complete Checklist
A step-by-step checklist for planning a Passover seder — from four weeks before to the night itself. Shopping lists, Haggadah selection, seder plate preparation, wine, matzah, timing, guests, and kid-friendly activities.
How to Sit Shiva: A Complete Guide for Mourners
A guide for the mourner — what to expect during shiva, the meal of consolation, mirrors and low chairs, davening at home, receiving visitors, knowing when to end, and the path back to normal life.
How to Wrap Tefillin: A Complete Step-by-Step Guide
A clear, step-by-step guide to putting on tefillin — the leather prayer boxes worn during weekday morning services, from opening the bag to the final wrapping.
How to Tie Tzitzit: A Step-by-Step Guide
A detailed guide to tying tzitzit — the ritual fringes attached to the corners of a tallit or tallit katan, including the Ashkenazi knotting pattern and the meaning behind each wrap.
How to Make Kiddush: A Complete Guide to the Shabbat Blessing
Everything you need to know about making kiddush — the blessing over wine that sanctifies Shabbat and holidays, including the full text, step-by-step instructions, and customs.
How to Study Talmud: A Beginner's Guide
A practical guide for beginners who want to start studying Talmud — the central text of rabbinic Judaism — including how to read a page, find study partners, and build a practice.
How to Say Kaddish: A Complete Guide for Mourners
A compassionate guide to saying Kaddish — the mourner's prayer recited for a deceased parent, spouse, sibling, or child — including the text, when to say it, and how long.
How to Kasher Your Kitchen for Passover: A Complete Guide
A practical guide to preparing your kitchen for Passover — from searching for chametz to kashering counters, ovens, and dishes, with clear instructions for every surface and utensil.
How to Find Your Hebrew Name: A Complete Guide
A practical guide to finding or choosing a Hebrew name — whether recovering a family name, selecting one for conversion, or simply connecting more deeply to Jewish identity.
How to Keep Shabbat: A Beginner's Guide
A warm, practical guide for anyone starting to observe Shabbat — from lighting candles and making kiddush to the art of disconnecting, resting, and finding the sacred in ordinary time.
Synagogue Etiquette: A Welcoming Guide for First-Time Visitors
Visiting a synagogue for the first time? Here is everything you need to know — what to wear, when to stand, how to follow along, and how to feel at home.
How to Lead a Seder: A First-Timer's Complete Guide
A step-by-step guide for first-time Seder leaders covering preparation, the 15 steps, engaging guests, and creating a meaningful Passover experience.
How to Start Keeping Kosher: A Practical Beginner's Guide
A practical step-by-step guide for beginners who want to start keeping kosher, covering kitchen setup, shopping, dining out, and building sustainable habits.
Bar Mitzvah on a Budget: How to Plan a Meaningful Celebration
Practical tips for planning a meaningful bar or bat mitzvah celebration without overspending, covering venues, food, invitations, entertainment, and creative cost-saving ideas.
How to Give a D'var Torah Speech: A Practical Guide
A practical guide to preparing and delivering a d'var Torah, covering structure, research, writing tips, and public speaking advice for any occasion.
How to Build a Jewish Home: Room by Room Guide
A room-by-room guide to creating a Jewish home, covering mezuzot, the kosher kitchen, Shabbat preparations, a Jewish bookshelf, and infusing daily life with kedushah.
Raising Jewish Children in an Interfaith Family
Practical guidance for interfaith families who have chosen to raise their children Jewish, covering holidays, education, community, and navigating extended family dynamics.
How to Do Teshuvah: A Practical Guide to Repentance
A practical guide to the Jewish process of teshuvah (repentance), covering Maimonides' steps, self-examination, making amends, and sustaining personal change throughout the year.
Choosing a Jewish Day School: A Parent's Guide
A comprehensive guide for parents choosing a Jewish day school, covering denominational differences, curriculum considerations, financial planning, and key questions to ask during visits.
Starting a Chevra Kadisha: A Guide to Sacred Burial Societies
A practical guide to founding and running a Chevra Kadisha (Jewish burial society), covering the taharah process, recruitment, training, emotional support, and organizational structure.
Choosing and Writing a Ketubah: A Complete Guide
A guide to choosing and writing a ketubah, covering traditional Aramaic texts, modern alternatives, artistic options, halakhic requirements, and how to personalize this ancient marriage document.