A minyan is a quorum of ten Jewish adults (13 years old) required for certain communal prayers. Traditionally, it consists of at least ten men, but most communities now include women. The minyan is essential for reciting specific prayers, such as the Kaddish memorial prayer for the dead.

Minyan fosters a sense of community among the participants. Minyanim (plural) can take place in synagogues, homes, or other suitable locations. The concept emphasizes the importance of communal rather than individual prayer in Judaism. The learning of Bible and Hebrew for Bar and Bat Mitsvot gives Jewish children similar connections.

A major drive for personal autonomy, plus wanting not to have any limits on what we can do, and what we can believe, have made many people allergic to institutions. Memberships in many organizations — including veterans, scouting, fraternal, religious, parental and civic — have continued their long decline into the 21st century.

A new study finds that as church attendance dropped among middle-aged, less educated white Americans, deaths from drug overdoses, suicide, and alcohol-related disease began to rise.

The trend started years before OxyContin appeared, suggesting the opioid epidemic intensified a problem already underway and “deaths of despair.” deaths include fatalities linked to drug overdoses, suicide, and alcoholic liver disease. Researchers found a clear pattern at the state level. States that experienced the sharpest drops in church attendance between 1985 and 2000 also saw the largest increases in deaths from causes during the same period.

Widespread loneliness in the........

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