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Editor's note:
Rosh Hashana, which began Sept. 22, starts the Jewish High Holidays – a 10-day period of soul-searching that ends with Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. Even if you’ve never been to a High Holidays service, you might recognize some of the music that’s often used: a string arrangement of the haunting “Kol Nidre,” for example, or the prayer “Avinu Malkeinu,” famously recorded by Barbra Streisand.
But there’s another key element of the holidays’ sound: the shofar.
A hollowed-out animal horn, the shofar is mentioned dozens of times in the Bible. But today it’s particularly associated with the High Holidays – and Yom Kippur draws to a close with one long, final blast. Though it’s a simple instrument, its sound is “uniquely rich and searching, somewhere between a human cry and an otherworldly hum,” writes Sarah Pessin, a Jewish studies scholar at the University of Denver – a noise meant to invite pause and reflection.
Religion News
Black church leaders reject Charlie Kirk martyrdom and point to his race rhetoric
Some African American pastors have denounced the killing of Charlie Kirk, but reject his supporters’ claims that he was a martyr of the Christian faith, pointing to his statements on race. By Aaron Morrison and Jaylen Green/The Associated Press
For High Holidays, rabbis brace for complex discussions on Gaza war and US politics
High Holidays sermons, said Cleveland Rabbi Robert Nosanchuk, put Jewish teachings in perspective and show ‘how they might operate in a world that is trembling.’ By Fiona André/Religion News Service
Plans to honor Sen. Dick Durban, despite his support for abortion rights, have revived a decades-old struggle between church teachings and political reality. By John O’Connor and Holly Meyer/The Associated Press
Japan's most sacred Shinto shrine has been rebuilt every 20 years for more than a millennium
Each generation knocks down Ise Jingu and rebuilds it from scratch – a massive, $390 million job that takes about nine years. By Foster Klug and Ayaka McGill/The Associated Press
Charlie Kirk's AI resurrection ushers in a new era of digital grief
AI-generated versions of the conservative Christian activist are popping up online after his killing – as well as in church services. By Jack Jenkins/Religion News Service
Commentary and Analysis
Anime characters often face challenges that connect to long-standing Buddhist and Shintō teachings. In this course, students look closely at what anime is saying about life. By Ronald S. Green for The Conversation
Just as earlier generations might have turned to prayer or ritual, many people today are turning to the stars. By Shiri Noy, Christopher P. Scheitle and Katie E. Corcoran for The Conversation
Political activists have recruited Christian musicians to sell policy, and Christian musicians have used their concerts to condemn abortion and support sexual abstinence campaigns. By Leah Payne/Religion News Service
Strong beliefs often impact abstract attitudes. But when young women are actually deciding whether to terminate a pregnancy, faith's role is more complex. By Amy Adamczyk for The Conversation
Indian women wearing traditional attire pose for pictures as they practice the Garba, a traditional dance of Gujarat state, during a rehearsal ahead of Navaratri, or 'nine night festival,' in Ahmedabad, India, Sept. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)
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