Judaism

WATCH: Thousands gather at Western Wall for selichot prayers as 'Post' observes Yom Kippur

The Jerusalem Post will temporarily pause news coverage to observe Yom Kippur. We wish all our readers a gmar hatima tova and an easy and meaningful fast.

Thousands of Jews gather for selichot prayer services at the Western Wall, in Jerusalem, ahead of Yom Kippur, September 15, 2026
Three women who arrived in the morning to sit the Rabbinate exams finally do so at a four-hour delay, April 27, 2026

ITIM demands equal conditions for women in upcoming Chief Rabbinate exams

The empty streets in Tel Aviv, on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, and the holiest of Jewish holidays. Israel came to a standstill for 25-hours during the high holiday of Yom Kippur when observant Jews fast and Israelis are prohibited from driving, October 2, 2025.

In the shadow of October 7: How Yom Kippur has changed for some secular Israelis

 An illustrative image of a Torah scroll and a shofar for Yom Kippur.

The Jewish sin we never confess: Choosing indifference over love - opinion


Israel must give Ethiopian Israelis a real seat at the table - starting at the UN - opinion

Imagine an African American Israeli representing the Jewish state at the UN. Wouldn’t that send a powerful, compelling message for all to see?

MEMBERS OF the Ethiopian Israeli community protest outside the Knesset last year.

From feeling at home in Canada to making aliyah - opinion

Growing antisemitism and declining trust in institutions are leaving many Jewish Canadians questioning where they belong.

 Protesters in support of Palestinians stand at an encampment, during the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, at McGill University’s campus in Montreal, Quebec, Canada May 2, 2024.

Israel can - and should - save assimilated Jews - opinion

Israel must embrace every Jew, including the unaffiliated and intermarried, to help ensure the future of world Jewry.

 There is less holding a second marriage together (Illustrative photo of a wedding).

Shabtai Zvi exhibition explores the false Messiah who mesmerized Jews across the world

A Jerusalem exhibition marking 400 years since Shabtai Zvi's birth explores how the false messiah captivated much of the Jewish world and why his legacy continues to fascinate.

Excerpt from Shabtai Zvi Drawing Series, from the early 1930s, by Jewish German expressionist artist Rosy Lilienfeld, murdered in Auschwitz in 1942.

Who owns Judaism? Israel must take it back from the religious establishment - opinion

Israelis have not abandoned Judaism. They are abandoning those who claim ownership over it.

Ultra-Orthodox Jewish protesters demonstrate against a cafe operating on Shabbat, while secular protesters hold a counter-demonstration, in central Jerusalem, August 29, 2026

Elul teaches us a Jewish lesson: The last siren has not sounded - opinion

For us, though, the final siren is not until the shofar is blown on Yom Kippur. We still have time to score more points.

A man blows the shofar in the Mea Shearim neighborhood of Jerusalem, ahead of the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah, September 17, 2025

Parashat Ki Tavo: The finest generation

Elul's call to confession requires more than admitting failure. Authentic teshuva also means recognizing personal growth and the courage, sacrifice, and resilience of this generation.

HONEST ACCOUNTING cannot be selective

Parashat Ki Tavo: The power of joy

Parashat Ki Tavo teaches that joy is not a luxury but a religious obligation, revealed through gratitude, generosity and serving God with a sincere and joyful heart.

REJOICING UPON the release of Hamas hostage Bar Kupershtein, Nov. 2, 2025.

Shabbat candle lighting times for Israel and US

See Shabbat candle lighting times for your area.

Shabbat candles

Jonathan Spector’s ‘Birthright’ puts Jewish history and memory on the stage - opinion

In its first act, set in 2006, we join six friends just back from a Birthright Israel trip. Lev, the seeker of “meaning,” introduces “historiography.”

Hale Appleman, shown with Molly Bernard, plays Lev in the MCC Theater's 2026 production of "Birthright."