We welcome your submissions for a virtual “assembly” of voices that weave in Jewish teachings, rituals, and prayers in response to climate change
Ritualwell is a living archive of Jewish rituals that draw on both tradition and the contemporary world. The majority of the work published here is user-generated, reflecting the creative and evolving practices of our diverse Jewish community. We welcome year-round submissions of rituals, prayers, poems, audio/video, and blog posts on an array of topics relevant to contemporary Jewish life.
This season, we are specifically looking for submissions that connect Jewish practice with responses to climate change. The Shalom Center’s “Rabbinic Letter on the Climate Crisis” calls us, at the conclusion of the current Shmitah year this Rosh HashanahThe Jewish New Year, also considered the Day of Judgment. The period of the High Holidays is a time of introspection and atonement. The holiday is celebrated with the sounding of the shofar, lengthy prayers in synagogue, the eating of apples and honey, and round challah for a sweet and whole year. Tashlikh, casting bread on the water to symbolize the washing away of sins, also takes place on Rosh Hashana., to recommit ourselves to taking action to fight climate change. The letter notes: “As we live through this Shmittah Year, we are especially aware that TorahThe Five Books of Moses, and the foundation of all of Jewish life and lore. The Torah is considered the heart and soul of the Jewish people, and study of the Torah is a high mitzvah. The Torah itself a scroll that is hand lettered on parchment, elaborately dressed and decorated, and stored in a decorative ark. It is chanted aloud on Mondays, Thursdays, and Shabbat, according to a yearly cycle. Sometimes "Torah" is used as a colloquial term for Jewish learning and narrative in general. calls for Hak’heyl—assembling the whole community of the People IsraelLit. ''the one who struggles with God.'' Israel means many things. It is first used with reference to Jacob, whose name is changed to Israel (Genesis 32:29), the one who struggles with God. Jacob's children, the Jewish people, become B'nai Israel, the children of Israel. The name also refers to the land of Israel and the State of Israel. during the SukkotLit. Booths or huts Sukkot is the autumn harvest Festival of Booths, is celebrated starting the 15th of the Jewish month of Tishrei. Jews build booths (sukkot), symbolic of the temporary shelters used by the ancient Israelites when they wandered in the desert. Traditionally, Jews eat and sleep in the sukkah for the duration of the holiday (seven days in Israel and eight outside of Israel). The lulav (palm frond), willow, myrtle, and etrog fruit are also waved together. after the Shmittah year, to hear and recommit ourselves to the Torah’s central teachings.
So we encourage Jews in all our communities to gather on the Sunday of Sukkot this year, October 4, 2015, to explore together our responsibilities toward the Earth and all humankind, in this generation.”
Inspired by this call, we at Ritualwell want to create a virtual “assembly” of voices that weave in Jewish teachings, rituals, and prayers in response to climate change. Submissions may be rituals, prayers, poems, songs, audio/video, or blog posts. Please only submit work that you have permission to publish (i.e., if the work is written by someone else, you need to getA writ of divorce. Traditionally, only a man can grant his wife a get. Liberal Jews have amended this tradition, making divorce more egalitarian. their permission to submit it.) We will publish these pieces in advance of October 4th so that we can be a resource as we work toward protecting the Earth and all of its inhabitants. On Friday, October 2nd, at 1pm EST, we will host a Twitter chat on this topic @Ritualwell.
For inspiration on what to submit, see the Climate Ribbon ritual we recently republished.
Please submit at the following link. While submissions to our site are accepted year-round, the current call for submissions is more time sensitive. We encourage submissions sent before Rosh Hashanah, and will continue to consider those sent after.
We look forward to reviewing your work!
Ritualwell
