By Jack Stern From Reform Judaism, Winter 1997 Reprinted with permission from the author and Reform Judaism Magazine — Published by the Union of American Hebrew Congregations Many years ago I was working with one of my bar mitzvah students, who was totally negligent in his preparations. Exasperated, his mother finally turned to the boy …

by Yael Shuman Illustration by Nancy Winternight From Reconstructionism Today, Summer, 1994 Reprinted with Permission. The Jewish tradition is rich in ritual objects that assisted our ancestors for centuries in unlocking spiritual meaning. Such objects as the tallit (prayer shawl), kippah (head-covering) or kiddush cup, in their beauty and tangibility, can actually change our state …