26 Jewish Things You Should Try in 2026
From hidden traditions to bold experiments, here are 26 ways to make Jewish life more meaningful, playful, and unforgettable this year.
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2026 is shaping up to be a year of experimentation, connection, and discovery for Jews everywhere.
Whether you’re deeply involved or just curious, there’s no better time to explore Jewish life in new ways — from spiritual practices to cultural adventures, historical experiments to good old-fashioned fun.
Here are 26 things to try this year, one for every few weeks and then some.
1) Try Jewish meditation.
When people think of meditation, they usually picture yoga mats, incense, or apps featuring Sanskrit chants. But Jewish meditation is a hidden gem that doesn’t get nearly enough attention. From silent contemplative prayer to mystical chanting, Jewish meditation can help you connect with your heritage, calm your mind, and find spiritual depth in everyday life.
Unlike many modern wellness trends, Jewish meditation isn’t about escaping reality; it’s about engaging with it fully, whether you’re reflecting on a Torah passage, reciting a mantra, or visualizing divine light. It’s a practice that combines mindfulness, intention, and connection to centuries of wisdom.
In 2026, trying Jewish meditation isn’t just a spiritual experiment; it’s a way to reclaim a part of your heritage that’s surprisingly relevant, practical, and deeply rewarding. If you’ve overlooked it, this is the year to sit down, breathe, and discover the meditative power already in your culture.
2) Attend or host a Shabbat.
Especially in the Jewish diaspora, Shabbat isn’t just for family dinners anymore. Across the world, community Shabbats are popping up in cities, coworking spaces, and even parks — bringing together Jews of all backgrounds to celebrate, eat, and connect. Think of it as the ultimate social-meets-spiritual experience: delicious food, lively conversation, and the chance to meet people you’d never run into in synagogue.
Hosting one? Even better. You don’t need a perfect table setting — just good vibes, some challah, and a willingness to share stories and songs. Attending or hosting a community Shabbat is one of the easiest ways to deepen your Jewish life while making new friends — and it’s way more fun than eating alone on Friday night.
3) Engage in Daf Yomi.
If you’ve ever wanted to tackle the Talmud but felt intimidated, 2026 is the perfect year to dive in. Daf Yomi, a daily page of Talmud, guides participants through the entire Talmud in about 7.5 years. The next big cycle kicks off on June 8, 2027, right after the current cycle finishes, but you don’t need to wait. You can join at the start of any new tractate (topic) without feeling lost.
Daf Yomi isn’t just a study program; it’s a global movement connecting hundreds of thousands of Jews every day, from Jerusalem to New York to Tel Aviv. Thanks to online calendars, apps, and podcasts, it’s easier than ever to keep up daily, even if your schedule is hectic. By engaging in Daf Yomi, you’re not only building your knowledge; you’re joining a living chain of Jewish learning that spans generations.
4) Follow a modern Torah influencer.
Torah study doesn’t have to live only in books or behind synagogue walls. Today, a new generation of rabbis and Jewish educators is bringing Torah to your feed — on Facebook, Instagram, and even YouTube. These modern Torah influencers share bite-sized, witty, and thought-provoking insights that make ancient wisdom feel fresh, relevant, and sometimes even hilarious.
The best part? You can create your own mini Torah “curriculum” by following a few accounts that match your interests: philosophy, humor, social justice, or mysticism. In 2026, following a modern Torah influencer is one of the easiest ways to bring Jewish wisdom into your daily routine without ever feeling like you’re back in a dusty study hall. It’s learning, inspiration, and connection — all in a scroll.
5) Participate in a ritual outside your usual community.
One of the most powerful ways to deepen your Jewish life is to step outside your familiar bubble. Experiencing rituals in a new setting can open your eyes to different traditions, interpretations, and flavors of Jewish life. Think dipping into a mikveh ceremony in a city you’ve never visited, joining a new holiday celebration, or organizing a Jewish/Israeli book club.
The magic of this practice is twofold. First, it challenges you to step outside comfort zones, making your engagement with Jewish rituals more intentional and meaningful. Second, it reminds you that Jewish life is diverse, dynamic, and alive in ways you might never have imagined. Every community has its own energy, customs, and stories, and by participating, even briefly, you’re building connections and expanding your understanding of what it means to be Jewish today.
6) Cook a Jewish dish from a country you’ve never explored.
Jewish cuisine is as diverse as the global Jewish community itself, and 2026 is the perfect year to take your taste buds on a world tour. Step outside the familiar bagels, matzo ball soup, and challah, and dive into flavors from Jewish communities you’ve never explored. Bukharian plov, Moroccan dafina, Georgian khachapuri, or Yemenite jachnun — each dish carries a story, a history, and a unique cultural twist.
Cooking these dishes isn’t just about eating; it’s about connecting with Jewish heritage in a hands-on way. You’ll learn about spices, cooking techniques, and rituals that have been passed down for generations.
7) Host a themed Shabbat dinner.
Shabbat has always been about rhythm and ritual, but that doesn’t mean it has to feel predictable. Hosting a themed Shabbat dinner is a fun way to honor tradition while making it feel fresh and social. Think Israeli street food night, Sephardic Shabbat, “Shabbat Around the World,” or a modern remix featuring lox sushi, challah pizza, or tahini-forward everything.
The goal isn’t perfection; it’s intention. A theme gives guests something to talk about, lowers the pressure, and makes Shabbat feel like an experience rather than an obligation. In 2026, Shabbat is as much about creativity and connection as it is about candles and wine.
8) Try Jewish wines or spirits you’ve never tasted.
Jewish wine no longer means “sweet and ceremonial.” Israeli wineries, boutique producers, and diaspora distillers are creating world-class wines and spirits that deserve serious appreciation. From bold Israeli reds to Tubi, small-batch schnapps, and kosher whiskey, Jewish terroir has gone global.
Tasting Jewish wines is also a way of tasting Jewish history: soil, climate, and culture all in one glass. Host a tasting, bring a bottle to Shabbat, or just swap your usual choice for something unexpected. L’chaim to expanding your palate.
9) Discover emerging Jewish music.
Jewish music today goes far beyond synagogue melodies. Artists across the Jewish world are blending Hebrew lyrics with hip-hop, indie rock, electronic, folk, and global sounds — creating music that feels both ancient and unmistakably modern.
One of the most exciting forces driving this musical renaissance right now is the Orthodox world. What was once a relatively insular scene has exploded into a creative powerhouse, producing artists who are technically sophisticated, emotionally rich, and culturally influential far beyond their own communities. Orthodox musicians are fusing traditional niggunim with pop, rock, hip-hop, and electronic production, creating music that fills concert halls, wedding dance floors, and Shabbat tables alike.
Together, these worlds are reshaping what Jewish music sounds like today. Discovering emerging Jewish music isn’t just about finding new artists; it’s about tuning into a living, evolving culture where multiple Jewish identities, traditions, and sounds are playing in harmony.
10) Take an online course in Jewish history, philosophy, or art.
Jewish learning has gone digital—and that’s a good thing. Today’s online courses, many provided by Jewish and Israeli museums around the world, let you explore Jewish ideas at your own pace, on your own terms, without needing a background in yeshiva or academia. Whether it’s medieval philosophy, modern Zionism, or Jewish visual art, there’s something for every curiosity level.
11) Read more Jewish books.
Jewish life has always revolved around ideas, and few things bring ideas to life like discussing them with other people. Jewish books offer a rare combination: intellectual stimulation, emotional connection, history lessons, and deep-seated pride.
The top Jewish books from 2025 include:
“Hostage” by Eli Sharabi
“Songs for the Brokenhearted: A Novel” by Ayelet Tsabari
“As a Jew: Reclaiming Our Story From Those Who Blame, Shame, and Try to Erase Us” by Sarah Hurwitz
“Sons and Daughters” by Chaim Grade, translated by Rose Waldman
“The Anatomy of Exile” by Zeeva Bukai
“How to Share an Egg: A True Story of Hunger, Love, and Plenty” by Bonny Reichert
“Mazeltov” by Eli Zuzovsky
“One Good Thing” by Georgia Hunter
“Gursha: Timeless Recipes for Modern Kitchens, from Ethiopia, Israel, Harlem, and Beyond” by Beejhy Barhany
“Sources of Pride” by Rabbi Abby Stein
12) Study Hebrew beyond the basics.
Hebrew hits differently once you move past decoding prayers and into understanding how Israelis actually speak, joke, argue, and write today. Learning modern Hebrew slang, idioms, or contemporary Israeli literature transforms the language from ritual into relationship. Suddenly, Israeli music, headlines, memes, and conversations open up.
In 2026, Hebrew fluency isn’t about perfection; it’s about access. Even modest progress deepens your connection to Israel, Jewish culture, and global Jewish conversations in a way translations never fully can.
13) Start a Jewish journaling or reflection practice.
Jewish tradition takes introspection seriously; just look at the High Holidays. A Jewish journaling practice brings that ancient wisdom into everyday life. Reflect on the weekly parsha; write after holidays; process big questions about identity, faith, or responsibility; or simply track moments of gratitude.
This isn’t about producing beautiful prose; it’s about creating space to think Jewishly in a loud world.
14) Reclaim a Jewish commandment you’ve ignored or didn’t even know existed.
Judaism isn’t short on guidance. In fact, it offers 613 commandments (mitzvot) — a vast, intricate system meant to shape how Jews live, think, eat, work, speak, rest, and relate to one another. Yet most Jews only encounter a small fraction of them, often the same familiar few. Reclaiming a lesser-known or long-ignored commandment is an invitation to discover how deep, nuanced, and surprisingly relevant Jewish law and ethics really are.
This isn’t about suddenly taking on all 613; it’s about curiosity and intentionality. Choose one mitzvah you’ve never studied — returning lost objects, guarding your speech, honoring workers’ dignity, cultivating joy, or even how we treat animals and the environment — and explore what it asks of you. Many of these commandments feel uncannily modern, addressing issues of responsibility, mindfulness, and human dignity in ways that predate modern ethics by centuries.
Feeling extra-adventurous? Play “mitzvah roulette.” Each week randomly pick one of the 613 commandments to explore or practice.
15) Develop a Shabbat ritual.
Shabbat is often described as a day of rest, but it’s more accurate to think of it as a weekly act of Jewish survival. As the famous Hebrew essayist Ahad Ha’am famously said: “More than Jews have kept Shabbat, Shabbat has kept the Jews.” Across centuries of exile, upheaval, and change, Shabbat created a protected pocket of time — one that anchored Jewish life, values, and relationships no matter where Jews found themselves.
Developing your own Shabbat ritual in 2026 doesn’t require perfection or strict adherence to someone else’s model. It means choosing one or two practices that you protect fiercely: lighting candles, sharing a meal, turning off notifications, taking a walk, singing, reading, or simply slowing down. The power of Shabbat lies not in how much you do, but in the consistency of returning to it week after week.
16) Master a Jewish or Israeli skill.
Jewish culture is full of skills that are as practical as they are meaningful, and mastering one is a way to connect deeply to tradition, creativity, and innovation. It could be anything from perfecting your challah braiding technique, learning the art of paper cutting, or cooking an authentic Bukharian plov, to playing a traditional instrument like the oud, dabbling in Israeli dance, or even coding within Israel’s tech ecosystem.
It’s a way to live Jewishness in real time, to honor centuries of creativity, and to carry forward practices that are playful, beautiful, and uniquely yours. One skill mastered can open doors to new experiences, communities, and ways of seeing the world through a Jewish lens.
17) Adopt a Jewish community different from your own.
Jewish life is not monolithic. It never has been. Yet many Jews spend most of their lives inside one cultural, religious, or ideological bubble. Adopting a Jewish community different from your own — whether Orthodox, secular Israeli, Mizrahi, Persian, Russian-speaking, Bukharian, Hasidic, or something else entirely — is an act of curiosity and humility. It means showing up to learn, listen, and experience Jewish life as others live it.
This doesn’t require changing who you are or abandoning your own practices. It might look like attending events, learning music or food traditions, following voices from that community, or studying its history and worldview. Over time, proximity replaces assumptions with understanding, and difference becomes a source of strength rather than distance.
18) Create something Jewish that didn’t exist before.
Judaism has survived not because it stayed frozen, but because every generation added something new: texts, melodies, institutions, customs, and ways of living Jewishly that responded to the moment they were in. Creating something Jewish today places you directly in that chain of transmission. It doesn’t have to be big or official. It just has to be real.
This could be a playlist, a dinner series, a piece of writing, a digital project, a new ritual, a learning group, a visual artwork, or a community format that reflects how you experience Jewish life right now. Creation is a form of participation, and participation is how Judaism stays alive. You’re not “watering down” tradition by adding to it; you’re doing exactly what Jews have always done.
19) Choose Jewish responsibility over Jewish comfort.
Jewish comfort is the instinct to stay quiet, stay agreeable, and avoid tension. It’s choosing environments where being Jewish is easy, affirming, and frictionless. There’s nothing inherently wrong with that, but comfort has never been what sustained Jewish life. Responsibility has.
Jewish responsibility means recognizing that being Jewish comes with obligations: to truth, to memory, to community, and to continuity. It means speaking up when Jewish history is distorted, showing up when Jewish institutions are under pressure, and staying engaged even when it’s socially inconvenient or emotionally taxing. It’s the willingness to be visible, counted, and accountable as a Jew in public and private life.
20) Learn about a new place in Israel.
Israel isn’t just Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, or the Dead Sea; it’s a country of hidden corners, diverse communities, and fascinating stories waiting to be discovered. Learning about a new place in Israel could mean exploring a city’s history, reading about a kibbutz experiment, discovering an ancient site off the tourist map, or diving into a neighborhood’s unique cultural rhythm.
Even from afar, this kind of exploration deepens your connection to Israel. It reveals the complexity, resilience, and creativity that make the country so dynamic, from northern villages to southern desert towns, from modern startups to centuries-old artifacts. Each place adds a layer to your understanding of Israeli life and Jewish identity.
21) Take a Jewish heritage trip you’ve never considered.
Jewish history isn’t just in books; it’s written in streets, synagogues, cemeteries, markets, and hidden corners of cities across the globe. A heritage trip is more than sightseeing; it’s stepping into the stories, struggles, and triumphs of communities that shaped Jewish life in ways you may never have imagined.
Go somewhere unexpected: Lithuania’s shtetls, Morocco’s medinas, obscure Jewish neighborhoods in New York, or forgotten villages in Central Europe. Each place has its own rhythm, flavor, and lessons, and visiting allows you to experience Jewish continuity firsthand. You’ll see resilience, creativity, and memory made tangible — and probably leave with stories you’ll retell for years.
22) Sign up for an Israeli and/or Jewish streaming service.
Binge-watching doesn’t have to be culturally neutral. Israeli and Jewish streaming services bring you closer to the stories, humor, and perspectives that shape Jewish life today. From gripping Israeli dramas and thought-provoking documentaries to comedy specials, children’s shows, and cultural programming, these platforms make Jewish content easy, accessible, and binge-worthy.
Streaming lets you explore Israel and Jewish communities from your couch, whether it’s discovering a small-town festival, following a social movement, or laughing along with a satirical series that only Israelis would get. It’s an effortless way to immerse yourself in contemporary Jewish culture while keeping your TV or phone screen Jewishly informed.
23) Find something Jewish and/or Israeli in your current hobbies or interests.
Jewish life isn’t confined to synagogues, holidays, or study halls; it can show up anywhere, if you know where to look. Whether you love cooking, sports, music, fashion, tech, or gaming, there’s probably a Jewish or Israeli angle waiting to be discovered. Maybe it’s learning about Israeli innovations in your favorite sport, sampling Jewish culinary twists on a hobby you already love, or following Israeli creators in your niche on social media.
The fun part? You don’t have to change your interests; you just amplify them with Jewish perspective. This is a simple but powerful way to weave Jewish identity seamlessly into everyday life. Every hobby becomes an opportunity to connect, learn, and celebrate Jewish culture in ways that feel natural, personal, and surprisingly fun.
24) Study an ancient Jewish philosopher through modern media.
Jewish thought is vast, but you don’t need a dusty library or a semester-long course to dive in. Philosophers like Saadia Gaon, Judah Halevi, and Moses Maimonides grappled with questions that feel strikingly urgent today: How do we live ethically? What is the role of community? How do we balance faith, reason, and action?
Modern media makes their insights more accessible than ever: podcasts, YouTube explainers, Instagram reels, or digital lectures can bring centuries-old ideas to life in bite-sized, relatable ways.
25) Join an intergenerational Jewish project.
Some of the most powerful Jewish experiences happen when generations meet. Intergenerational projects — whether they involve oral histories, collaborative art, mentoring programs, or community service — create spaces where wisdom and energy flow in both directions. Listening to elders’ stories and experiences connects you to history, memory, and resilience, while sharing your own perspective brings fresh ideas and vitality into the conversation.
These projects turn abstract ideas about continuity into living practice. You don’t just learn about Jewish life; you help shape it, preserving traditions while innovating for the future. From documenting family histories to co-creating cultural events, your participation becomes part of a living chain of Jewish identity.
26) Practice more ahavat hinam.
Ahavat hinam (selfless, unconditional love) is one of the most powerful yet often overlooked Jewish values. It’s the love that asks nothing in return, that seeks connection, kindness, and understanding simply because it is right. In a world dominated by echo chambers, tribalism, and citizens hopped up on superficial opinions about every little thing, practicing ahavat hinam feels radical: holding space for others without judgment, offering help without expectation, and listening with genuine presence.
You can start small: Compliment a coworker, check in with a friend who’s struggling, or offer time and support to a neighbor. Over time, these acts ripple outward, creating a culture of generosity, empathy, and human connection that embodies the best of Jewish ethics.
Community Shabats!
What a great idea!
This was an excellent article!
Love you Joshua.