When I light candles on Shabbat, using the same candlesticks that my ancestors lit over 100 years prior, I feel connected to everyone who has come before me.

I unearthed the ancient Jewish tradition of burying my placenta. In the process, I cultivated new connections with my ancestors, my children, and myself.

A mother wrestles with whether to continue the painful ritual her own mother passed down.

A granddaughter reflects on leaving her grandparents’ home—and how one final ritual turned goodbye into sacred memory.

As a patrilneal Jew, I’ve faced antisemitism my whole life—yet I’m told by some in my own community that I don't count. 

A personal and practical guide to uncovering your Jewish family history—one photo, conversation, and record at a time.

This Mother’s Day, explore Jewish motherhood in all its nuance with books that go far beyond the clichés.

The definition of patrilineal is “based on relationship to the father” which means my Judaism is…complicated.  

JWA chats with Ariella Aïsha Azoulay, author ofGolden Threads, a new children’s book that explores the melting pot of Jewish and Muslim artisan communities in 1920s Morocco. 

The rabbi-to-be reflects on the divine lessons of motherhood and her path to the rabbinate. 

After that initial Zoom bat mitzvah, it became clear that my own celebration would look the same.

Aunt Barbara gave me the opportunity to forge my own Jewish identity, with the help of a simple, silver, Star of David.

In my family, necklaces are more meaningful than any other piece of jewelry.

In 1927, Elza Niego, a young Jewish woman was stabbed to death by an older Turkish man whose romantic advances she had repeatedly refused. Her murder sparked an intense emotional reaction from Jews, which the Turkish press found unacceptable, leading to antisemitic publications and outbursts, including the arrest of nine Jewish leaders.

Taube Kaplan (the Greene Rebitzin) was the principal fundraiser and founder of the Hebrew Maternity Ward, founded in 1916 in the Plateau-Mont Royal neighborhood of Montréal, Quebec. Her efforts contributed to a reduction in maternal and infant mortality in Montreal’s Jewish community. Kaplan also raised funds for the establishment of the Jewish General Hospital, which opened its doors in 1934. 

JWA chats with internationally recognized human rights lawyer Julie F. Kay.

Three experiences converged and showed up one morning when I picked up my pen, andJoyful Songwas born.

JWA talks to Dena Eber about her passion for photography and her new bookYou Refuse to Believe That You Ever Liked Pink.

JWA chats with sociology professor and author Helen Kim.

The project's creators hope it will change the way Jewish kids see themselves and each other.