The Vidui, our confessional, offers a variety of pathways toward pouring out our individual and communal sins, thus opening ourselves to a full cleansing of the spirit. Explore the power of this liturgy with teachings from Yavilah McCoy, Rabbi Elie Kaunfer, Alden Solovy, and more.
Nizakher Venikatev: A Reflective Guide for Vidui
The word sin has many connotations in English, most of them associated with Christianity. How do you react to this word? We have used the words wrongdoing, mistake, or problem instead. Which word works best for you in your process of teshuvah (repentance)? Explore these questions and more with our reflective guide for the Vidui.
Rabbi Elie Kaunfer: Understanding Vidui
Prepare for the High Holy Days by looking at some critical areas of the liturgy. We will gain a deeper sense of the unique structure of these prayers, as well as looking in-depth into specific prayers. We will delve into their biblical and rabbinic sources, with an eye toward deeper meaning and connection to the larger themes of the High Holy Days.
Yavilah McCoy: A Communal Al Chet for the Sins of Racism
Yavilah McCoy is the CEO of Dimensions Inc., in Boston. She has spent the past twenty years working extensively in multi-faith communities and partnering specifically with Jewish groups to engage issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Alden Solovy: Meditation on Vidui
Liturgist and poet Alden Solovy spreads joy and excitement about prayer. His work has been used by people of many faiths throughout the world. He’s written more than 750 pieces of new liturgy, offering a fresh Jewish voice and challenging the boundaries between poetry, meditation, personal growth, storytelling, and prayer.
Breaking Down Vidui
The Vidui is a complex but essential portion of both the process of teshuvah and of our liturgy on Yom Kippur. Get a refresher on the essentials as we break down the Vidui.
HaVidui Ha-Mashlim: Complementary Confession, by Rabbi Binyamin Holtzman
Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak HaCohen Kook, in his commentary on the Mishnah, points out that just as there is a vidui lara, a confession for the bad, so, too, is there a vidui latov, a confession for the good. In that spirit, we invite you to take this composition of Rabbi Binyamin Holtzman to heart, embracing a positive vidui as a companion to the traditional confession.