The phrase "Kol Nidrei" is an unbelievably popular one. Many folks, even some who rarely enter synagogue spaces, talk about this famous Yom Kippur declaration, set to a haunting melody. It is so popular, that the entire Yom Kippur evening service has gained the alternate title of...."Kol Nidrei."

But...what's the Kol Nidrei declaration actually about? (In short: the nullification of certain kinds of vows and oaths). What does Kol Nidrei say, for what reasons? To what extent might its contents feel beautiful to us, or horrifying, or confusing, or all of these?

We'll explore all of these questions together. We'll hone in on why, for over 1,000 years, there has been an impressive lineage of rabbis calling Kol Nidrei a "foolish custom." We'll explore the ways in which it has continued to hold power, despite those rabbinic objections, and what that reality teaches us about Jewish ritual, community, and creativity. We'll do all of this in interactive conversation, holding a love for Jewish tradition and rebellion all at the same time.

Lex Rofeberg is a Jewish educator and activist who serves as Senior Jewish Educator for Judaism Unbound, a digital Jewish organization. He is the co-host and producer of Judaism Unbound’s weekly podcast, and oversees the UnYeshiva — a digital center for Jewish learning and unlearning. He attended Brown University, and was ordained as a rabbi in 2021 through ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal. A native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin (go Bucks, sorry Celts fans!), he lives on Narragansett land in Providence, Rhode Island.