As the High Holy Days come to a close, Jews around the world spend one last day in an intense celebration with God before resuming their normal routines.

Simchat Torah, a day whose name means “Rejoicing in the Torah,” is unlike any other observance we experience in synagogue.

As Yael Eckstein describes in this podcast, the entire congregation—from the youngest children to the oldest adults—takes out the Torah scroll and joins in a never-ending circle of dancing and singing. The celebration marks the completion of reading through the Torah, from Genesis to Deuteronomy, before the reading cycle begins again.

But the lesson of Simchat Torah lasts all year long, Yael teaches. This joyful day is a reminder that the way to stay close to God and transform inspiration into action throughout the year is through His Word. Listen now!

Visit our Learning Center to learn more about Simchat Torah.

Do you know the one holy day that the entire world will celebrate in messianic times?

According to the biblical prophet Zechariah, it’s the Festival of Tabernacles, or as it’s called in Hebrew, Sukkot (Zechariah 4:16).

Unity among all of God’s children is a major theme of this joyous biblical celebration. And this week, Yael looks to the lessons of Sukkot to find practical ways that bring us together.

In our world that often feels increasingly divided, Sukkot’s spirit of unity can bring goodness, pleasantness, and blessings to all of our lives.

Learn more about Sukkot by visiting our Learn Center.

And listen to more of Yael’s Bible teachings on her daily podcast, The Chosen People.

Have you ever found yourself needing to apologize to someone… and dreading it? Or have you been hurt by someone who refused to apologize for something they did to you?

Saying “I’m sorry” can be one of the hardest things to do.

On this podcast episode about Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, Yael Eckstein explores how those two words—“I’m sorry”—relate to the holiest day on the Jewish calendar. Admitting our wrongdoings, committing to change, and moving forward is what this biblical holy day is all about.

When we say, “I’m sorry”—and when we mean it—God has mercy and He forgives. And those two little words have the power to heal relationships and change the world for the better.

Learn more about the High Holy Days by visiting our Learn Center.

And listen to more of Yael’s Bible teachings on her daily podcast, The Chosen People.

In the Holy City of Jerusalem—and in synagogues around the world, the sounds of the shofar have been heard for the past month. For thousands of years, his biblical trumpet has been calling people to reflect, repent, and return to God.

On this podcast, Yael Eckstein continues her exploration of the Jewish High Holy Days by focusing on one of the main rituals of this holiest season: the sounding of the shofar.

Yael explores why the Jewish people use a shofar to prepare themselves for the new year, and how its many sounds are a call to self-reflection and self-improvement, to repentance, and to return to God.

Join Yael as she explains the symbolism and messages of the shofar, and how its sounds through each of our lives, all year round.

Learn more about the High Holy Days by visiting our Learn Center.

And listen to more of Yael’s Bible teachings on her daily podcast, The Chosen People.

As people usher in a New Year on January 1 with parties and celebrations, how many are thinking about repentance? It’s probably not very many.

But when Jewish New Year is welcomed on Rosh Hashanah, the main focus is on repentance, or teshuvah, which means to “return” to God. The sound of the shofar—the biblical trumpet made from a ram’s horn—calls us to reflect on the past twelve months, to fix anything in our lives that hasn’t been helpful, and to return to God—who is waiting for us with open arms.

In this special Rosh Hashanah episode, Yael Eckstein takes a biblical look at repentance, its significance for all of us as people of faith, and how returning to God will nourish our souls and transform us into the people we are meant to be. Listen Now!

And listen to more of Yael’s Bible teachings on her daily podcast, The Chosen People.

Sometimes in life, our faith might seem strong, but our fears seem even stronger.

Maybe you’ve tried to cling to faith over the past year, but still look to the future with trepidation. Here’s the thing—it’s not easy to stand confidently in faith and in peace when life seems scary and uncertain. So what do we do? How do we strengthen our faith?

Today, Yael Eckstein turns to the Bible and Jewish teachings for answers! Knowing that we should put all our trust in God and actually having faith that God is looking out for us are two very different things.

When we lean on God, we can stay standing through anything. Listen now!

And listen to more of Yael’s Bible teachings on her daily podcast, The Chosen People.

Every year, Jewish people begin a special spiritual journey that’s been taken by God’s children for millennia.

On this podcast, Yael Eckstein shares how this can be a journey for us all—Christians and Jews alike. Preparing for the High Holy Days is a time when we can connect with God and with ourselves.

As this holy season approaches, Yael will look at: how the sound of the shofar awakens the soul; how Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, teaches us about repentance; how Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, teaches us about forgiveness; how Sukkot, the biblical Festival of Tabernacles, brings unity; and how Simchat Torah brings God and His word into the new year.

But first, Yael begins our journey by looking at the three spiritual paths—repentance, prayer, and charity—that begin the High Holy Days journey. Listen now!

And listen to more of Yael’s Bible teachings on her daily podcast, The Chosen People.

You’ve probably heard lots of one-month promises. One month to lose weight. One month to learn a language. One month to straighten up your house or straighten up your finances or straighten up your life!

But did you know that The Chosen People have clung to a very special one-month promise for thousands of years?

During the Hebrew month of Elul, which we’re in right now, there’s an ancient biblical Jewish practice—one that Jesus likely participated in. During this month, the Jewish people prepare themselves spiritually for the High Holy Days, which begin with Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, and conclude on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. For generations of Jewish people, this special month has long laid the groundwork for real and lasting change.

And today, Yael looks to the Bible to explain how this month can connect us to God, nourish our souls, and make spiritual changes that last, setting us up for a successful year to come and a blessed life ahead!

And listen to more of Yael’s Bible teachings on her daily podcast, The Chosen People.