Lead story
Editor's note:
Over the next week, Jewish communities around the world will observe the High Holidays, or “Days of Awe”: Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year; and Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. That word, “atonement,” evokes individual soul-searching, confession and repentance. But the High Holidays are just as much about community, writes University of Arizona professor David Graizbord – as is true of so many elements of Jewish ritual and culture.
Take the Viddui, or “confession,” a centerpiece of the Yom Kippur liturgy: a long list of wrongdoings that the congregation repeats together. “We and our fathers have sinned. We have trespassed. We have betrayed.”
What’s important is not whether individuals have done these specific things, Graizbord writes. “What matters is that they take responsibility for the entire Jewish people – past, present and future – in relation to their fellow humans, and in relation to the God of Israel.”
Religion News
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Commentary and Analysis
Many faiths face conflicts over dissent and institutional control. In Latter-day Saints history, the episode around the 'September Six' is particularly memorable. By Benjamin Park for The Conversation
A scholar who has been working in Marrakech writes about the artisan communities, which have maintained the city's architectural rich heritage for generations and have been hit hard by the earthquake. By Abbey Stockstill for The Conversation
Nonreligious voters are poised to make an impact, but sweeping statements about the 'nones' don't tell the full story. By Evan Stewart for The Conversation
Whether world leaders grapple with interconnecting issues of religion and global affairs remains to be seen, but they cannot afford to ignore them. By Knox Thames/Religion News Service
Shiite Muslim worshippers gather inside the holy shrine of Imam Hussein to commemorate the Arbaeen festival, Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2023, in Karbala, Iraq. Arbaeen marks the end of the forty-day mourning period after the anniversary of the martyrdom of Imam Hussein, the Prophet Muhammad's grandson, in the 7th century. (AP Photo/Anmar Khalil)
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