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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20241204T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20241204T140000
DTSTAMP:20260403T164837
CREATED:20241118T212834Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241127T010726Z
UID:28688-1733317200-1733320800@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:Capturing Your (Grand)Child's Stories
DESCRIPTION:December 4\, 2024\n1:00-2:00 p.m. EST\n\n \nSo often\, we experience meaningful moments with our children or grandchildren that we’d like to capture–or have special stories from our own childhood that we hope to share with the next generation. Dr. Barry Mann has crafted a delightful children’s book\, Miri and her Drum Set\, inspired by a real-life adventure with his young grandchild. Miri and her Drum Set explores both the miracle of Hanukkah and also ways to unite people across religions and cultures.\n \nJoin us for an engaging conversation about Dr. Mann’s journey of transforming a personal story into a published book. Whether your goal is to publish or simply to create a family keepsake story\, discover an effective process to outline and breathe life into your narratives. This event is perfectly timed for those looking to create and share a story that could make a memorable Hanukkah gift for the family.\n \n\nThis session will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience.\n \nBarry Mann is a retired surgeon and currently System Medical Director for Health Equity in the Main Line Health System of suburban Philadelphia where he served as Chief Academic Officer and director of the surgical residency training program. Dr. Mann has received numerous prestigious awards for his work in medical education including the Distinguished Teacher of Medicine Award from the American Association for Medical Colleges and the Distinguished Educator Award from the Association for Surgical Education. While professor of surgery at the Sidney Kimmel Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia\, he co-authored five medical textbooks including SURGERY—A Competency Based Companion. His interest in Hebrew and Arabic led him to write Dreams of Peace\, A Dual Language Primer for Learning Hebrew and Arabic in 2015. Miri and her Drum Set is his first children’s book and is based on a true story of kindness he experienced with his grandson Ezra at the Lime Ridge Mall in Ontario\, Canada.\n \n \n 
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/capturing-your-grandchilds-stories/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Event,Free
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20241210T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20241210T133000
DTSTAMP:20260403T164837
CREATED:20241113T191648Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241114T141838Z
UID:28663-1733832000-1733837400@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:A Secret Chord: Exploring Leonard Cohen’s Sacred/Secular Songs
DESCRIPTION:December 10 and 17\, 2024\n12-1:30 p.m. EST\n$54\n \n\nThe iconic songs of Leonard Cohen have influenced the cultural landscape\, from films to well-known cover renditions to contemporary liturgy. Throughout his life\, Cohen wrestled with Jewish tradition and many of his lyrics and poems are woven with references to the Bible\, psalms\, Lurianic kabbalah\, and traditional Jewish prayers.\n \nJoin writer Amy Gottlieb for an interactive discussion to unpack several songs\, examining how Cohen engages with Jewish texts and theology. Our discussion will conclude with a generative writing workshop using prompts from poems and song lyrics.\n\n \nBoth sessions will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience.\nAmy Gottlieb’s debut novel\, The Beautiful Possible\, was a finalist for the Ribalow Prize\, Wallant Award\, and National Jewish Book Award. Her fiction and poetry have been published in On Being\, Lilith\, Ilanot Review\, Paper Brigade\, and Bloomsbury Anthology of Contemporary Jewish American Poetry\, among others. She has taught at the San Miguel Writers Conference\, Canberra Writers Festival\, Sydney Jewish Writers Festival\, AWP\, New York Public Library\, and elsewhere. She lives in New York City\, where she teaches fiction workshops and works with individual writers on book projects.\n 
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/a-secret-chord-exploring-leonard-cohens-sacred-secular-songs/2024-12-10/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Event
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20241212T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20241212T150000
DTSTAMP:20260403T164838
CREATED:20241031T190003Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241101T150341Z
UID:28512-1734012000-1734015600@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:Braided Together: 'Take Challah' Ritual in Community
DESCRIPTION:Wednesdays\, November 14 and December 12\, 2024\n2:00-3:00 p.m. EST  \n\nWhen was the last time you came together with friends or family to prepare a meal? Perhaps to bake bread? Picture everyone gathered around a table\, crafting beautifully braided dough with delightful aromas\, sharing stories filled with laughter and even a few tears. The warmth of connection and belonging\, not just from the oven\, has been lacking in our lives as we’ve drifted away from our Jewish communities and intimate family circles due to various life circumstances. However\, it doesn’t have to remain this way\, especially with technology supporting us.\n\n\n\nJoin Adva Chattler for a monthly gathering to explore the ritual of “Taking Challah”: the tradition of blessing the dough of our challah before baking it. Aside from the ritual\, we will learn a new braiding and decorating technique each month.  Our time together will be sprinkled with song\, chant\, storytelling  and more\, as we braid our challahs together. Recipe\, step-by-step guide and more resources will be shared in advance. \n\n\n\n\n\nAdva Chattler is an Israeli-Mizrahi Jew\, born and raised in Be’er-Sheva\, Israel. She loves to create meaningful experiences through her cooking and baking that prompt sharing stories\, teachings and rituals about Judaism\, Israel and Mizrahi Jewish cultures and heritage. Her rituals\, prayers and poems were published on Ritualwell. Adva is passionate about bringing people together in ways that spark relationship building and connecting to others on a deeper level\, both in the challenging and ever-changing world of online gatherings\, and in person. She holds a MA in conflict Resolution and Management from Ben Gurion University of the Negev and BA in Public Administration and Management from Sapir College in Sderot\, Israel\, and a Makhloket Matters Fellow for Jewish Professionals by the Pardes Institute for Jewish Studies. With her experience in teaching and curriculum building\, she support facilitators and presenters for Ritualwell and Reconstructing Judaism and encourage them to bring not only their best self\, but best practices and tools for successful teaching online. Adva is also a mother and a foodie who lives in Del Rio\, Tx.\, with her husband\, three daughters and two dogs. \n 
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/braided-together-take-challah-ritual-in-community/2024-12-12/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Event,Free,Monthly program
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/Braided-together-.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20241217T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20241217T133000
DTSTAMP:20260403T164838
CREATED:20241113T191648Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241114T141839Z
UID:28664-1734436800-1734442200@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:A Secret Chord: Exploring Leonard Cohen’s Sacred/Secular Songs
DESCRIPTION:December 10 and 17\, 2024\n12-1:30 p.m. EST\n$54\n \n\nThe iconic songs of Leonard Cohen have influenced the cultural landscape\, from films to well-known cover renditions to contemporary liturgy. Throughout his life\, Cohen wrestled with Jewish tradition and many of his lyrics and poems are woven with references to the Bible\, psalms\, Lurianic kabbalah\, and traditional Jewish prayers.\n \nJoin writer Amy Gottlieb for an interactive discussion to unpack several songs\, examining how Cohen engages with Jewish texts and theology. Our discussion will conclude with a generative writing workshop using prompts from poems and song lyrics.\n\n \nBoth sessions will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience.\nAmy Gottlieb’s debut novel\, The Beautiful Possible\, was a finalist for the Ribalow Prize\, Wallant Award\, and National Jewish Book Award. Her fiction and poetry have been published in On Being\, Lilith\, Ilanot Review\, Paper Brigade\, and Bloomsbury Anthology of Contemporary Jewish American Poetry\, among others. She has taught at the San Miguel Writers Conference\, Canberra Writers Festival\, Sydney Jewish Writers Festival\, AWP\, New York Public Library\, and elsewhere. She lives in New York City\, where she teaches fiction workshops and works with individual writers on book projects.\n 
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/a-secret-chord-exploring-leonard-cohens-sacred-secular-songs/2024-12-17/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/11/SecretChord_AmyGottlieb_Dec2024-raw.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250102T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250102T140000
DTSTAMP:20260403T164838
CREATED:20241203T162335Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241203T162335Z
UID:28838-1735822800-1735826400@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:Nia into the NEW Year
DESCRIPTION:January 2\, 2025\n1:00-2:00 p.m. EST\n \nStart 2025 in active movement and flow of you body and creativity through the practice of Nia!\n \nJoin the Ritualwell community and Nia instructor Janice Steinberg (who is also one of our Advot members) to engage your body\, spirit and creativity through Nia movement followed by prompts for reflection and writing. No experience needed.\n \nNia is based on the philosophy that everyone can enhance their potential for a healthy\, meaningful life by engaging their senses and listening compassionately to their bodies. While it is adaptable to individual needs and abilities\, its core principle is finding your body’s joy of movement\, whether that’s swaying gently in a chair or dancing. Nia is low-impact and designed to be done barefoot. But it’s fine to wear tennis or jazz-dance shoes if that’s best for you. What you’ll need is a clear space so you have room to move\, or\, if you choose to stay seated that will work\, too.\n \nHave writing materials at hand. You may want art materials\, as well.\n \n\nThis session will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience.\n\n \nJanice Steinberg (she/her) holds a Black Belt in the Nia dance-fitness practice and has been teaching for 15 years\, including events for Ritualwell. She is the author of the novel The Tin Horse (Random House) and a five-book mystery series published by Berkley.\n \n \n \n \n \n 
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/nia-into-the-new-year/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Event,Free
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Nia_Janice_Jan2025-RAW.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250212T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250212T133000
DTSTAMP:20260403T164838
CREATED:20241216T200357Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250205T125121Z
UID:28976-1739361600-1739367000@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:Creating Your Own Meaningful Tu B’Shvat Rituals
DESCRIPTION:February 12\, 2025\, \n12-1:30 p.m. EST\n \nRituals serve not only as a source of comfort but also as a means to honor our history and cultivate our own legacies. Inspired by the birth of her son on the birthday of the trees\, Wendy A. Horwitz\, author of Milkweed and Honey Cake: A Memoir in Ritual Moments\, was inspired to imagine Tu B’shvat as a time to deepen her personal ties to the earth\, trees\, and Jewish wisdom through creative rituals. In this Ritualwell event\, Wendy will guide us in exploring narratives and engaging in discussion aimed at helping us revitalize our personal Tu B’Shvat rituals. Reflect on your connections to this Jewish celebration of nature and discover new ideas to create your own meaningful Tu B’Shvat rituals.\n \n\nThis session will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience.\n\n \nWendy A. Horwitz is the author of Milkweed and Honey Cake: A Memoir in Ritual Moments. Her essays have been published in The Philadelphia Inquirer\, Afterimage\, Neurology (Humanities Section)\, Jewish Literary Journal\, Intrepid Times\, and McClatchy-Tribune News Service\, among others. Originally trained as a pediatric psychologist\, she lives in Philadelphia\, where she teaches writing and health humanities.\n \n\n \n \n \n \n 
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/creating-your-own-meaningful-tu-bshvat-rituals/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Event,Free
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Tu-Bishvat-1.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20250228
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250301
DTSTAMP:20260403T164838
CREATED:20241218T153212Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250225T145248Z
UID:28984-1740700800-1740787199@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:Voices of Disability
DESCRIPTION: \nVoices of Disability is a special new collection of curated poetry\, prayers and teachings about disability from Ritualwell contributors.  This printable PDF will be sent to you electronically and can be accessed online.\n\n\n\nWhen you purchase this new collection\, you will also receive a recording of our ‘Writing Disability Torah’ event. \n\n\nIn the event\, we explore the wisdom found in Disability Torah and how we can connect our personal experiences to these texts. In the recording\, you’ll be guided in a text study followed by a creative writing exercise to help you begin crafting your own piece of Disability Torah. \n\n\nThis conversation was led by Gabrielle Kaplan-Mayer from Ritualwell and Rabbi Ash Sofman from Thriving Communities at Reconstructing Judaism with RRC rabbinical students Mat Wilson and Rakhel Silverman-Gitin. Mat and Rakhel have both received Auerbach Ignition grants to support their initiatives in this area. \n\n\n\n\n \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nGabrielle Kaplan-Mayer is Ritualwell’s Director of Virtual Content and Programs. She writes frequently about disability\, spirituality and creativity and edits the Jewish Disability Inclusion News. Previously she directed Whole Community Inclusion\, working to make the Philadelphia Jewish community more accessible. Her book The Little Gate-Crasher was selected as a Jewish Disability Awareness\, Acceptance & Inclusion Month book selection.\n \n \nRakhel Silverman-Gitin is a student at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College whose Auerbach Ignition grantt aims to educate and engage the community of Or Haneshamah\, Ottawa’s Reconstructionist Congregation\, on disability justice\, and place it in conversation with the tradition of Shabbat. Instead of being focused on how to address the “issue” of disability within Judaism (i.e. what Jewish text thinks of disability)\, this project is focused on what Jews can learn from the wisdom of the disability community regarding rest and joy\, and how to apply these teachings to deepen personal and communal Shabbat practices.\n \nRabbi Asher Sofman is Reconstructing Judaism’s Justice\, Equity\, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) Program Coordinator who  has curated Disability and Accessibility resources for the movement. Ash studied creative writing and world literature at Brown University\, earning a B.A. with honors in Literary Arts and is a 2023 graduate of RRC. He has served as an associate chaplain at continuing-care retirement communities in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.\n \n\n \nMat Wilson (they/them) enjoys board and video games\, road trips big and small\, and any opportunity to be in the water. They discovered a love for Torah study through the art of source sheet creation and are currently expanding their written reflections through the Disability Torah Project. Outside of their free time\, Mat is a student at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College and is pursuing a Master’s in Nonprofit Leadership at the University of Pennsylvania.\n \n\n      \n        \n      \n    \n 
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/writing-disability-torah/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Disability-Torah-raw.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250325T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250325T130000
DTSTAMP:20260403T164838
CREATED:20250217T185624Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250219T175325Z
UID:29763-1742904000-1742907600@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:To Laugh: Using Humor to Survive Jewish History
DESCRIPTION:Tuesday\, March 25\, 2025 \n12:00-1:00 p.m. EDT\n \n\nJoin Emmy-winning TV comedy writer and bestselling author (Marvel’s Look Out for the Little Guy) Rob Kutner as he shares his new book\, The Jews: 5\,000 Years and Counting —a comedic survey of all of Jewish history\, plus jokes! Kutner will read from his book and then lead participants in writing exercises designed to harness humor to disarm a menacing world.\n \nThis session will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience.\n\n \n\nRob Kutner has won 5 Emmys\, a Peabody\, a TCA\, and a Grammy writing for such shows as TBS’ “CONAN” and “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart\, and co-created the fact-based comedy TV show “Gander.” Rob’s other TV writing includes “Teen Titans Go!” “Ben10” “Angry Birds: Summer Madness” and HBO’s “Dennis Miller Live.” He has also written material for the Oscars\, Emmys\, Writers’ Guild Awards\, MTV Movie Awards\, Guys’ Choice Awards\, and two White House Correspondents’ Dinners. He has developed kids’ and adult animated series for Warner Brothers and SyFy.\n\nRob is the author of the satirical end-of-times bestseller Apocalypse How: Turn the End Times into the Best of Times! and the Amazon Kindle e-bestseller/Audible audiobook The Future According to Me. He is also the creator of the graphic novel “Shrinkage” for Farrago Comics. He has published humor and feature pieces for the New Yorker\, New York Times\, Esquire\, Huffington Post\, McSweeney’s\, and the Weekly Forward. Learn more about Rob here. \n\n \n \n \n\n      \n        \n      \n    \n\n 
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/to-laugh-using-humor-to-survive-jewish-history/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Event,Free
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/02/Holding-Each-Other-Oct-21.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20250411
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250412
DTSTAMP:20260403T164838
CREATED:20250305T171708Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250407T145016Z
UID:29895-1744329600-1744415999@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:Why is This Year's Seder Different?
DESCRIPTION: \nRitualwell has created a  new collection of curated Passover resources: Why is this Seder Different? Questions\, Readings & Conversation Starters for a Challenging Year. This printable PDF will be delivered electronically and is accessible online.\n \n\nWhen you purchase the supplement\, you will also have access to our event recording: \n\nEngage with Rabbi Mira Wasserman in a conversation with Ritualwell’s Gabrielle Kaplan-Mayer\, focusing on text study\, an interactive discussion\, and reflective writing about how the Passover seder can offer a sense of order amidst chaos.\n\n \nRabbi Mira Beth Wasserman\, Ph.D. is RRC’s interim vice president for academic affairs.work as a rabbi and scholar bridges Talmud study\, community building and the pursuit of social justice. In the classroom\, she explores the history and cultures of diverse ancient Jewish communities while fusing immersion in classical text with new critical methods and theory. Wasserman’s background in the congregational rabbinate helps her bring a practical orientation to her teaching and scholarship. She is Rabbi Emerita of Congregation Beth Shalom in Bloomington\, Ind.\, where she served for over a decade.\n \n \n\nGabrielle Ariella Kaplan-Mayer is Ritualwell’s Director of Virtual Content and Programs. She is an author\, educator and spiritual director whose work focuses on spirituality\, creativity and disability. Gabrielle is currently working on a memoir about the power of intuition and ongoing conversations with her ancestors. She writes a Substack newsletter called “Journey With The Seasons\,” a weekly practice of meditative reading with creative self-expression prompts. \nGabrielle holds a BFA in theater and creative writing from Emerson College and an MA in Jewish Studies from the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n      \n        \n      \n    \n 
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/why-is-this-years-seder-different/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Event,Free
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/Why-is-This-Years-Seder-Different-RAW-e1742245105337.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250416T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250416T133000
DTSTAMP:20260403T164838
CREATED:20250317T213244Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250521T175130Z
UID:30048-1744804800-1744810200@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:Counting the Omer: A Neshamah Recharge
DESCRIPTION:The Counting of the Omer is a time for spiritual introspection and growth. During a time when many of us are feeling deflated and anxious about the state of the world\, this ritual can help us to recharge our Neshamah\, our soul. \nRitualwell is here for you! Through the 7-week period of the Omer\, we’ll provide you with support\, accountability\, community and creative inspiration to do this spiritual work.  \n\n\nEvery week\, we will send you an Omer guide for the upcoming week\, aligned with that week’s spiritual theme. This guide will include Jewish wisdom texts\, readings\, sensory explorations\, and creativity prompts for the week. The printable PDF will be sent electronically and can be accessed online. When you sign up for Counting the Omer: A Neshamah Recharge\, you are also invited to join us for three special community events throughout the Omer period: \n\n\n\nApril 16\, 2025\, 12 -1:00 p.m. EDT (Recording access now available): Ignite Your Omer Counting with a gathering led by Kohenet Sarah Chandler. Whether you’re new to counting or have participated in this ritual for many years\, Sarah will provide us with a fresh perspective on the sefirah of hesed. How do you embody deeds of lovingkindness\, g’milut hasadim? We will explore ancient and modern sources for love in action\, through the sefirah of hesed. Whether you are looking to call upon divine love\, to nourish self love or discover strategies for caring for others (without burnout)\, this workshop is for anyone who is ready to tap into the flow of hesed in the first week of the omer. \nMay 15\, 2025\, 12 -1:00 p.m. EDT: Nurture Your Omer Counting midway through the Omer with artist and Kohenet Bekah Starr.  We’ll begin with a creativity warm-up exercise\, followed by an exploration of a Lag B’Omer artwork by a Jewish artist\, uncovering new insights and art techniques. Explore how art can be studied and interpreted like Torah\, revealing layers of meaning and inspiration. Then\, create your own artistic response—whether through visual art\, poetry\, prayer\, or short story—fostering creativity\, artistic growth\, and a deeper connection to Jewish artistic expression.Bekah will lead us in a generative workshop exploring what we’ve discovered through the Omer so far.\n\n‘Counting the Omer: A Neshama Recharge’ is part of Ritualwell’s annual campaign to sustain our work. Ritualwell’s mission to create a welcoming space for individuals from diverse backgrounds who wish to embrace Jewish practice has become more vital than ever. \nWe know that you appreciate us being here for you. And we need you. Ritualwell’s free offerings are made possible by gifts from people like you. \nRegister now and support our mission as we support you through the Omer–and beyond.
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/counting-the-omer-a-neshamah-recharge/2025-04-16/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/Neshamah-Recharge-Omer-campaign-.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250428T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250428T141500
DTSTAMP:20260403T164838
CREATED:20250404T202859Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250408T134254Z
UID:30271-1745845200-1745849700@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:MALACHIM\, Renewed: A Community Art Project
DESCRIPTION:Create art. Create ritual. Create community.  \nSubmit your visual art. Be part of the creation of the new MALACHIM (Jewish Angel Cards) Set\, MALACHIM Messages of Blessing Cards: Ritualwell Community Edition.  \nThe tradition of MALACHIM (literally: messages or angels) began in a circle of friends in Jerusalem in 1989. They sang the beloved song Shalom Aleichem to honor the beginning of Shabbat\, noting that the words of the song welcome the “messengers/angels of peace\,” which are said to frequent the homes of those who bring in Shabbat (Talmud\, Tractate Shabbat\, 119a). Deborah Eisenbach-Budner created a set of MALACHIM to accompany the singing. These cards came to be known as Jewish Angel Cards; her hand-made sets found homes throughout the world. Several thousand printed sets\, now called MALACHIM Messages of Blessing\, have made their way into personal and communal rituals as well as Shabbat\, Rosh Hodesh\, and holiday tables as this folk tradition grows.   \nNow\, MALACHIM will evolve again as a collective process\, including you!     \nWe are creating a MALACHIM set that incorporates original art made by Ritualwell community members. Each of the MALACHIM will be made from a original photo/work of art. On the margins of the art will be a word in Hebrew\, transliteration\, and English.   \nOur timeline: \n\nOn Monday April 28 at 1pm EST\, Ritualwell will host a virtual launch event to invite artists to learn more about this community art project and its logistics. There will be a word bank provided; artists will be invited to submit up to 5 pieces for consideration by June 4.   \nOn Monday June 30 at 5pm EST\, Ritualwell will host a virtual unveiling gallery event for the artists and community members to share the artwork selected for the card deck. Artists will have a chance to share about their reflections from the process of art making for this project.  \nThe cards will become available for sale August 1\, in time for Elul and the Jewish New Year.  \n\n\nRegistrants commit to:  \nJoin the April 28th virtual event and submit 3-5 pieces of artwork. 36 or 54 pieces will be chosen\, depending on submissions. Registrants will receive a free set of the new MALACHIM and will be credited on the physical insert and online description.   \nWe are lucky to have such a creative and inspiring network of artists at Ritualwell\, and we hope you will join us at the April 28 launch event and submit your art for consideration!  \n 
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/malachim-renewed-a-community-art-project/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Event,Free
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250515T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250515T133000
DTSTAMP:20260403T164838
CREATED:20250317T213244Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250521T175131Z
UID:30050-1747310400-1747315800@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:Counting the Omer: A Neshamah Recharge
DESCRIPTION:The Counting of the Omer is a time for spiritual introspection and growth. During a time when many of us are feeling deflated and anxious about the state of the world\, this ritual can help us to recharge our Neshamah\, our soul. \nRitualwell is here for you! Through the 7-week period of the Omer\, we’ll provide you with support\, accountability\, community and creative inspiration to do this spiritual work.  \n\n\nEvery week\, we will send you an Omer guide for the upcoming week\, aligned with that week’s spiritual theme. This guide will include Jewish wisdom texts\, readings\, sensory explorations\, and creativity prompts for the week. The printable PDF will be sent electronically and can be accessed online. When you sign up for Counting the Omer: A Neshamah Recharge\, you are also invited to join us for three special community events throughout the Omer period: \n\n\n\nApril 16\, 2025\, 12 -1:00 p.m. EDT (Recording access now available): Ignite Your Omer Counting with a gathering led by Kohenet Sarah Chandler. Whether you’re new to counting or have participated in this ritual for many years\, Sarah will provide us with a fresh perspective on the sefirah of hesed. How do you embody deeds of lovingkindness\, g’milut hasadim? We will explore ancient and modern sources for love in action\, through the sefirah of hesed. Whether you are looking to call upon divine love\, to nourish self love or discover strategies for caring for others (without burnout)\, this workshop is for anyone who is ready to tap into the flow of hesed in the first week of the omer. \nMay 15\, 2025\, 12 -1:00 p.m. EDT: Nurture Your Omer Counting midway through the Omer with artist and Kohenet Bekah Starr.  We’ll begin with a creativity warm-up exercise\, followed by an exploration of a Lag B’Omer artwork by a Jewish artist\, uncovering new insights and art techniques. Explore how art can be studied and interpreted like Torah\, revealing layers of meaning and inspiration. Then\, create your own artistic response—whether through visual art\, poetry\, prayer\, or short story—fostering creativity\, artistic growth\, and a deeper connection to Jewish artistic expression.Bekah will lead us in a generative workshop exploring what we’ve discovered through the Omer so far.\n\n‘Counting the Omer: A Neshama Recharge’ is part of Ritualwell’s annual campaign to sustain our work. Ritualwell’s mission to create a welcoming space for individuals from diverse backgrounds who wish to embrace Jewish practice has become more vital than ever. \nWe know that you appreciate us being here for you. And we need you. Ritualwell’s free offerings are made possible by gifts from people like you. \nRegister now and support our mission as we support you through the Omer–and beyond.
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/counting-the-omer-a-neshamah-recharge/2025-05-15/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/Neshamah-Recharge-Omer-campaign-.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250604T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250604T133000
DTSTAMP:20260403T164838
CREATED:20250317T213244Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250521T175132Z
UID:30131-1749038400-1749043800@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:Counting the Omer: A Neshamah Recharge
DESCRIPTION:The Counting of the Omer is a time for spiritual introspection and growth. During a time when many of us are feeling deflated and anxious about the state of the world\, this ritual can help us to recharge our Neshamah\, our soul. \nRitualwell is here for you! Through the 7-week period of the Omer\, we’ll provide you with support\, accountability\, community and creative inspiration to do this spiritual work.  \n\n\nEvery week\, we will send you an Omer guide for the upcoming week\, aligned with that week’s spiritual theme. This guide will include Jewish wisdom texts\, readings\, sensory explorations\, and creativity prompts for the week. The printable PDF will be sent electronically and can be accessed online. When you sign up for Counting the Omer: A Neshamah Recharge\, you are also invited to join us for three special community events throughout the Omer period: \n\n\n\nApril 16\, 2025\, 12 -1:00 p.m. EDT (Recording access now available): Ignite Your Omer Counting with a gathering led by Kohenet Sarah Chandler. Whether you’re new to counting or have participated in this ritual for many years\, Sarah will provide us with a fresh perspective on the sefirah of hesed. How do you embody deeds of lovingkindness\, g’milut hasadim? We will explore ancient and modern sources for love in action\, through the sefirah of hesed. Whether you are looking to call upon divine love\, to nourish self love or discover strategies for caring for others (without burnout)\, this workshop is for anyone who is ready to tap into the flow of hesed in the first week of the omer. \nMay 15\, 2025\, 12 -1:00 p.m. EDT: Nurture Your Omer Counting midway through the Omer with artist and Kohenet Bekah Starr.  We’ll begin with a creativity warm-up exercise\, followed by an exploration of a Lag B’Omer artwork by a Jewish artist\, uncovering new insights and art techniques. Explore how art can be studied and interpreted like Torah\, revealing layers of meaning and inspiration. Then\, create your own artistic response—whether through visual art\, poetry\, prayer\, or short story—fostering creativity\, artistic growth\, and a deeper connection to Jewish artistic expression.Bekah will lead us in a generative workshop exploring what we’ve discovered through the Omer so far.\n\n‘Counting the Omer: A Neshama Recharge’ is part of Ritualwell’s annual campaign to sustain our work. Ritualwell’s mission to create a welcoming space for individuals from diverse backgrounds who wish to embrace Jewish practice has become more vital than ever. \nWe know that you appreciate us being here for you. And we need you. Ritualwell’s free offerings are made possible by gifts from people like you. \nRegister now and support our mission as we support you through the Omer–and beyond.
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/counting-the-omer-a-neshamah-recharge/2025-06-04/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/Neshamah-Recharge-Omer-campaign-.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250617T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250617T133000
DTSTAMP:20260403T164838
CREATED:20250424T155546Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250609T155138Z
UID:30414-1750161600-1750167000@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:Writing Postcards From the Heart
DESCRIPTION:Tuesday\, June 17\, 2025 \n12-1:30 p.m. EDT\n \n\n\nWrite your own postcards to a loved one\, to your younger self\, to an artist you love\, or to even to G-d in this interactive writing workshop with Poet and Professor Lisa Grunberger. Jewish thought has much to teach us about anger and compassion. For example\, Rebbe Nachman taught that the best antidote for one’s anger is a compassionate heart. In Hebrew\, the word for “compassion” (rachamim)\, shares the same root as the words for “womb” (rechem) and for “tomorrow” (machar).\n \nWriting is cathartic\, a ritual that helps us process complex emotions like grief and anger. You are encouraged to bring photos of people\, alive or not\, you might want to write postcards to so their energy is close. We will have time to share our spontaneous postcard writing with each other; you will be surprised at the creative writing that emerges with these short postcard-writing exercises. A postcard can spark the first lines of a novel\, a song\, or even heal a relationship. Discover how writing from the emotional “place” of pain\, love\, curiosity\, anger\, or grief can create a bridge to heal.\n\n\n\n \nThis session will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience.\n \n\n\nPushcart nominee and Temple University English Professor Lisa Grunberger is a first-generation American writer. Her award-winning poetry book\, I am dirty (Moonstone Press)\, and Born Knowing (Finishing Line Press)\, are lyrical reflections on life as a woman\, a mother\, and a daughter of Holocaust survivors.  Her book\, Yiddish Yoga: Ruthie’s Adventures in Love\, Loss and the Lotus Position (Harper Collins)\, about a widowed grandmother who does yoga to help her grieve\, is currently being adapted as a musical. Almost Pregnant\, her play about infertility and assisted reproductive technologies\, is published by Next Stage Press. \nHer poetry book\, Mercy Wombs\, was the finalist in Settlement House American Poetry Prize for first-generation poets. She is a widely published poet whose work has appeared in The New York Times\, The Paterson Literary Review\, Mudfish\, The Drunken Boat\, Bridges: A Jewish Feminist Journal\, Philadelphia Poets\, Paroles des Jour\, Dialogi\, Crab Orchard Review\, Mom Egg Review\, The Baffler\, and Fine Linen Press. Her poems have been translated into Hebrew\, Slovenian\, Russian\, Spanish and Yiddish. \n\n  \n 
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/writing-postcards-from-the-heart/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Event,Free
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/Writing-Postcards-From-the-Heart.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250624T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250624T133000
DTSTAMP:20260403T164838
CREATED:20250506T135444Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250515T122158Z
UID:30562-1750766400-1750771800@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:The Creative Fire of Folklore
DESCRIPTION: \nTuesday\, June 24\, 2025\n12-1:30 p.m. EDT\n \nIn this generative poetry event\, we’ll chart ways to use your family or community’s sayings in poems that explore how the past informs the present. Come prepared to have fun\, while trying your hand at techniques for folding both folklore and imagery into poetry that’s at once individual and universal. Together\, we’ll play with writing exercises and discuss published work. By the end of class\, you’ll have a draft that you can shape for further development.\n \nNo previous poetry experience is required–this event is inclusive of everyone’s background and lived experiences.\n \nThis session will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience.\n \nSusan Comninos is a widely published writer and author of a recent book of poems\, “Out of Nowhere” (Stephen F. Austin Univ. Press/Texas A&M\, 2022). Her individual poems\, often on Jewish themes\, have appeared in the Harvard Review Online\, Rattle\, The Common\, Prairie Schooner and North American Review\, among others. She’s taught writing to undergraduates at Siena College\, The College of St. Rose and SUNY Albany\, as well as to adults in the community. She is currently at work on a second collection of poems\, called “Wild Joy of Receiving.” She lives in upstate New York. \n 
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/the-creative-fire-of-folklore/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Event,Free
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/The-Creative-Fire-of-Folklore-raw.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250626T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250626T203000
DTSTAMP:20260403T164838
CREATED:20250513T160346Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250520T144650Z
UID:30666-1750964400-1750969800@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:Advot End-of-Year Celebration and Poetry Reading
DESCRIPTION:Thursday\, June 26\, 2025\n7-8:30 p.m. EDT\n \n\n\n\nJoin us to celebrate the contributions of our Advot@Ritualwell members and the unveiling of our fourth anthology showcasing their creations. Advot@Ritualwell serves as an online community for Jewish writers to learn\, connect\, and collaborate\, providing a platform for mutual support in what can often be a solitary journey. Members bring their diverse backgrounds and expertise to share\, co-create\, and inspire one another. This event is their opportunity to showcase their work to you. Show your support by attending! Registrants will receive a 15% discount on their purchase of the anthology. \n\n\n\nThe members of our ADVOT community include: Elliott batTzedek\, Elizabeth Caplun\, Rabbi Nachshon Carmi\, Alex Carter\, Cathleen Cohen\, Muriel Dance\, Batya Diamond\, Elisa Friedlander\, Rabbi Dayle Friedman\, Ona Gritz\, Ziva Harmatz\, Marc Jacobs\, Ann Kanter\, Judith Kerman\, Chelsea Levinson\, Rabbi Janet Madden\, Beverly Pincus\, SJ Schlossman\, Gail Simmons\, Janice Steinberg\, Julie Stone\, Cantor Keren Webber\, Tiferet Welch and McKenzie Wren.\n 
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/advot-end-of-year-celebration-and-poetry-reading-2/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:ADVOT,Event,Free
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Advot-EOY-Celebratation-2025-Raw.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250908T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250908T140000
DTSTAMP:20260403T164838
CREATED:20250819T163253Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250826T154047Z
UID:31859-1757336400-1757340000@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:Expanding the Field: A DIY Rosh Hashanah Journey
DESCRIPTION:September 8\, 2025\n1:00-2:00 p.m. EDT\n \n\n\nJoin Rabbi Aya Baron and Sarah Chandler (Kohenet Shamirah Bechirah) for a creative journey into Expanding the Field: A DIY Rosh Hashanah Companion\, Ayin Press’s zine-style guide to the New Year. Together\, we’ll explore interactive journaling\, earth-based ritual\, poetic reflection\, and imaginative prompts inspired by the mystical Four Worlds. From hitbodedut (personal prayer) to tashlich\, simanim\, and shofar practice\, Aya and Sarah invite you to co-create Rosh Hashanah rituals that feel both rooted and personal. \nThis session will share sample activities and open conversation about Aya and Sarah’s creative process. Whether you’re seeking spiritual nourishment\, fresh ritual\, or new ways into the season\, you’ll find a welcoming space to reflect\, reimagine\, and connect with the Days of Awe. \n\n\nNote: This program includes sample exercises from the new zine; to purchase a printed copy or download\, visit Ayin’s website.\n\n \nThis session will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience.\n \nRabbi Aya Baron (she/her) creates and offers earth-based Jewish programs\, educational consultation\, and life cycle ritual support. Ordained by the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College\, she also holds a B.A. in Contemplative Education from Brown University\, an M.A. in Jewish studies focusing on feminist and folkloric interpretations of rabbinic literature from the Graduate Theological Union and a certifcate from the California School of Herbal Studies. Aya lives on Lenni-Lenape land in Philadelphia and collaborates with Shamir Collective to create earth based Jewish practice guides.\n \n \n \n \n \nSarah Chandler (she/her) aka Kohenet Shamirah is a Brooklyn-based Jewish educator\, artist\, activist\, healer\, and poet. She teaches\, writes and consults on issues related to Judaism\, earth-based spiritual practice\, respectful workplaces\, mindfulness\, and farming. An ordained Kohenet with the Hebrew Priestess Institute and a trainer for “Taamod: Stand Up!”\, she is also is an advanced student of Kabbalistic dream work at The School of Images. Previously\, Sarah served as the Director of Romemu Yeshiva\, Chief Compassion Officer of Jewish Initiative for Animals\, and Director of Earth Based Spiritual Practices at Hazon’s Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center. Currently\, she is the CEO of Shamir Collective\, as a coach and consultant to high profile artists and authors to launch new music and books\, as well as lead trainer for Soft as a Rock: Public Speaking for Sensitive Souls.\n \n\n      \n        \n      \n    \n \n 
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/expanding-the-field-a-diy-rosh-hashanah-journey/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Event,Free
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/08/Expanding-the-field-2025.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250910T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250910T133000
DTSTAMP:20260403T164838
CREATED:20250711T090822Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250904T202001Z
UID:31291-1757505600-1757511000@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:Women of the Bible: A Retelling
DESCRIPTION: \nWednesday\, September 10\, 2025\n12-1:30 p.m. EDT\n$18\n \n\n\nStep into the stories of the women of the Bible — not as distant figures\, but as bold\, complex individuals whose voices still echo in our lives today. Together\, we’ll engage Biblical text\, midrash\, poetry\, and art through a feminist\, justice-centered lens that reclaims and reimagines these women’s lives.\n \nThis is more than a study — it’s an invitation. As we explore how our biblical ancestors navigated power\, identity\, and faith\, you’ll be invited to respond with your own voice. Through guided writing or art-making\, you’ll create work that brings new life to their stories — and your own. As we stand at the threshold of a new year\, this gathering offers a powerful opportunity for these ancient stories to awaken your own story— and set intention for what’s to come.\n\n\n \nThis event will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience.\n \nMcKenzie (Ma’ayan Yehudit) Wren is a ritualist who supports connection and growth through Earth-based\, embodied practices uplifting the Divine Feminine. Whether facilitating art experiences\, ritual or ceremony\, workshops or classes\, McKenzie creates a space where each person is seen\, heard and valued and has an authentic meaningful experience.\n \n 
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/women-of-the-hebrew-bible-a-retelling/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/07/RAW-Women-of-the-Hebrew-Bible_-A-Retelling-with-McKenzie-Wren.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250917T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250917T130000
DTSTAMP:20260403T164838
CREATED:20250708T183139Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250826T133841Z
UID:31237-1758110400-1758114000@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:On Being Jewish Now: A Reading & Writing Experience
DESCRIPTION: \nSeptember 17\, 2025\n12-1 p.m. ET \n \nSince October 7\, our world has shifted in ways that touch every part of our lives. Many of us are asking: How do we navigate—and even flourish—in this moment? Where can we turn for wisdom\, connection\, and hope?\n \n\nIn her new anthology\, On Being Jewish Now\, writer\, podcaster\, and publisher Zibby Owens brings together leading Jewish voices in a heartfelt\, humorous\, and deeply moving collection of essays.\n \nJoin Zibby in conversation with Gabrielle Kaplan-Mayer of Ritualwell as they explore what it means to be Jewish right now—how our questions\, traditions\, worries\, and hopes shape our lives and connect us to one another. You’ll be invited into a guided generative writing session to reflect on your own relationship to Jewishness in this moment.\n \nThis event will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience.\n\n  \nZibby Owens is the founder of Zibby Media which includes the award-winning daily podcast Totally Booked with Zibby\, Zibby Publishing in New York\, and Zibby’s Bookshop in Santa Monica CA. She is the author of six books including the USA Today bestsellers Blank: A Novel and On Being Jewish Now: Reflections from Authors and Advocates. Follow her on Substack and Instagram @zibbyowens where she tells it like it is. \n  \n\n      \n        \n      \n    \n 
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/on-being-jewish-now-a-reading-writing-experience/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Event,Free
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/07/On-Being-Jewish-Now-Gabby-with-Zibby-Owens-RAW.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250930T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250930T130000
DTSTAMP:20260403T164838
CREATED:20250826T160926Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250918T155318Z
UID:31907-1759233600-1759237200@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:More than Wishing: Creating a Happy New Year
DESCRIPTION:Tuesday\, September 30\, 2025\n12:00-1:00 p.m. EDT\n$18\n \n\nTraditionally\, we wish one another a “Happy New Year.” It is a warm and important custom to continue. And this year\, in a changing world that can feel overwhelming\, we can add another layer: the reminder that we are also invited to create a new year. Judaism offers us a framework for making this possible–through teshuvah (renewal of spirit and return to the holiest part of ourselves)\, tefillah (prayer and avodah\, the work of the heart and doing the right thing)\, and tzedakah (acts of justice and generosity). These timeless practices remind us that while we cannot fix everything\, we can take meaningful steps to make the world better—within us and around us. In nurturing ourselves and acting with intention\, we become co-creators of a more whole and hopeful world.\n \nThis new booklet from Ritualwell is a companion for the sacred journey between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. It offers poems\, prayers\, and prompts to help you co-create a year of meaning and hope.\n \nWhether used for personal introspection or shared in community\, these offerings will guide you in crafting a year that is not only happy\, but deeply meaningful.\n \nWith your purchase of the booklet\, you are warmly invited to join us for a special event on September 30 with mindfulness teacher Rabbi Jacob Staub: Meditation & Reflection for the Days of Awe.\n\n \nThis event will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience.\n \nRabbi Jacob Staub is the director of Evolve: Groundbreaking Jewish Conversations. He is Professor Emeritus of Jewish Philosophy and Spirituality at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College\, where he continues to direct the Program in Jewish Spiritual Direction. He served as editor of The Reconstructionist 1983-89. He co-authored with Rebecca Alpert\,  Exploring Judaism: A Reconstructionist Approach.\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\nGabrielle Ariella Kaplan-Mayer is Ritualwell’s Director of Virtual Content and Programs. She is an author and educator whose work focuses on spirituality\, creativity and disability. Her personal essays have been featured in Tablet\, Shondaland\, NBCThink\, Wisdom Daily\, WHYY and many other publications and she has published several nonfiction books as well as plays for children. Gabrielle is currently working on a memoir about the power of intuition and ongoing conversations with her ancestors. She writes a Substack newsletter called “Journey With The Seasons\,” a weekly practice of meditative reading with creative self-expression prompts. Gabrielle holds a BFA in theater and creative writing from Emerson College and an MA in Jewish Studies from the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. \n\n 
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/more-than-wishing-creating-a-happy-new-year/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/08/more-than-wishing-raw-1-1.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251006T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251006T130000
DTSTAMP:20260403T164838
CREATED:20250925T165245Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250929T183401Z
UID:32361-1759752000-1759755600@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:A Day of Memory: A Holding Each Other Memorial for October 7
DESCRIPTION:Monday\, October 6\, 2025\n12-1:00 p.m. EDT\n \n\nNow more than ever\, we need each other.\n \nOur community meets every Monday for “Holding Each Other\,” a 15-minute online minyan\, but on October 6\, we’ll gather for a special hour of grieving\, praying and sharing.\n \n\nOur guest facilitator will be Rabbi Yehudit Werchow\, who will guide us through poetry\, prayers and prompts for creative expression\, reflection and sharing.\n \n\nThis event will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience.\n \n \n \n\n \n\nRabbi Yehudit Werchow was born in Argentina and raised in Israel. She earned a B.A. in Political Science and Literature from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and an M.A. in Religious Education from Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR) in New York\, where she was later ordained at HUC-JIR in Jerusalem.\nYehudit has held senior leadership roles across global Jewish organizations. She served as Director of Israel Engagement for the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) in North America\, as the Jewish Agency’s Senior Shlicha to the Reform Movement in both North America and the UK\, and as Director of Education for MASA. Throughout her career\, she has championed innovative approaches to Israel education\, strengthening connections across communities and generations.\n\n \n 
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/a-day-of-memory-a-holding-each-other-memorial-for-october-7/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Event,Free
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Holding-Each-Other-25-26.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251021T123000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251021T133000
DTSTAMP:20260403T164838
CREATED:20250820T144507Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250930T185135Z
UID:31498-1761049800-1761053400@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:The Torah in the Tarot
DESCRIPTION:Tuesday\, October 21\, 2025 \n12-1:30 p.m. EDT\n$18\n \n\nStep into a world where ancient Jewish wisdom hides in plain sight—painted into the mysterious images of Renaissance-era Tarot cards.\n \nAuthor Stav Appel invites you on a fascinating journey into his startling discovery: that the original Tarot de Marseille may have served as a covert tool for Jewish education during centuries when the Roman Catholic Church sought to erase Judaism from public life.\n \nThrough a Judaic lens\, even the 1650 Jean Noblet Tarot—one of the oldest surviving decks—reveals Hebrew letters\, Torah stories\, ritual objects\, and Jewish holy days woven into its imagery. These hidden connections challenge everything scholars and enthusiasts think they know about the history of Tarot. Join us as Stav shares insights from his forthcoming Ayin Press deck and booklet\, The Torah in the Tarot\, and decide for yourself: can the rituals and lore of Judaism truly be found within the cards?\n\n \nThis session will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience.\n \n\nStav Appel is a data scientist and a lifelong student of Torah. Earlier in his career he was the director of the Israeli-Palestinian coexistence organization Nitzanei Shalom\, and the director of International Service Programs for American Jewish World Service. He holds an MBA from the Yale School of Management and has studied Biblical Hebrew at Hebrew University and Yale Divinity School. \nAfter a chance encounter with an old deck of Tarot cards\, Stav began to explore the origins and meaning of the biblical references he recognized in its images. He is now a frequent speaker and popular writer on the Torah in the Tarot\, the lost and forgotten Judaic origins of the mysterious Tarot de Marseille. He currently resides in New Salem\, NY. Find Stav on Instagram @torah.tarot. \n\n 
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/the-torah-in-the-tarot/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Event
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251029T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251029T213000
DTSTAMP:20260403T164838
CREATED:20250725T134535Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251016T140843Z
UID:31294-1761768000-1761773400@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:Discovering Jewish Joy: A Ritualwell Community Gathering
DESCRIPTION:Wednesday\, October 29\, 2025\n8-9:30 p.m. EDT\n \n\n \nJoin the Ritualwell community for a special event celebrating Manna Songs: Stories of Jewish Culture & Heritage\, a new anthology filled with 32 moving essays that lift up the theme of Jewish joy.\n \nThis gathering is an invitation to connect—to Jewish culture\, to your own wellsprings of joy\, and to a supportive creative community. You’ll hear powerful excerpts from selected contributors connected to the Ritualwell community including Diane Gottlieb\, Tzivia Gover\, Lisa Grunberger\, Talya Jankovits and Gabrielle Kaplan-Mayer\, followed by a meaningful conversation about how joy can be a spiritual and cultural practice—especially in challenging times.\n \nThen\, you’ll be guided through a generative writing prompt designed to help you reflect on your personal experiences of joy\, and how they relate to your Jewish identity and story.\n \nCome to be inspired. Come to write. Come to feel joy.\n \n\nThis session will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience.\n \n \n\nDiane Gottlieb is the editor of the anthologies Awakenings: Stories of Body and Consciousness and the upcoming Manna Songs. Her work appears in notable publications\, and she has received various awards\, including Tiferet Journal’s nonfiction contest.\n\n \n \n \n \nTzivia Gover\, author of Dreaming on the Page\, is a dreamwork professional and founder of 350 Dreamers\, focusing on global healing.\n\n \n \n \n \n \nLisa Grunberger\, a Pushcart nominee and Temple University professor\, has published award-winning poetry reflecting on her experiences as a daughter of Holocaust survivors and is adapting her book Yiddish Yoga into a musical.\n \n \n \n\n \n\n\nTalya Jankovits\, an award-winning writer\, released the poetry collection girl woman wife mother\, recognized in the 2024 Bookfest Awards. \n\n\n  \n  \n  \n\n\nGabrielle Ariella Kaplan-Mayer\, Ritualwell’s Director\, focuses on spirituality and disability in her writing and is working on a memoir about intuition and ancestral conversations. \n\n 
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/discovering-jewish-joy-a-ritualwell-community-gathering/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Event
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251111T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251111T200000
DTSTAMP:20260403T164838
CREATED:20250912T153332Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251110T131339Z
UID:32176-1762891200-1762891200@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:Before All the World: A Creative Conversation with Moriel Rothman-Zecher
DESCRIPTION:Tuesday\, November 11\, 2025\n8:00-9:00 p.m. EST\n \nIn recognition of Jewish Book Month\, join us for an intimate\, interactive online gathering with award-winning author Moriel Rothman-Zecher to explore his bold\, genre-bending novel Before All the World. Together\, we’ll dive into the book’s inventive use of language\, its weaving of Jewish memory\, resilience\, and love\, and the ways stories can hold both the ache of history and the possibility of transformation. This is more than a reading—it’s a conversation about writing\, identity\, and the sacred work of storytelling. Bring your curiosity\, your questions\, and your writer’s heart.\n \nThis event will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience.\n \n \nMoriel Rothman-Zecher is the author of the novels Before All the World\, which was named an NPR Best Book\, and Sadness Is a White Bird\, for which he received the National Book Foundation’s ‘5 Under 35’ Honor\, and which was a finalist for the Dayton Literary Peace Prize\, the winner of the Ohio Book Award\, a finalist for a National Jewish Book Award\, and longlisted for the Center for Fiction’s First Novel Prize. His work has been published in The American Poetry Review\, Barrelhouse\, Colorado Review\, The Common\, Jewish Currents\, Lit Hub\, Nashville Review\, The New York Times\, Poetry Daily\, The Paris Review’s Daily\, ZYZZYVA\, and elsewhere. Moriel is the recipient of two MacDowell Fellowships\, and teaches creative writing at Swarthmore College\, where he is a Visiting Assistant Professor of English Literature and Creative Writing\, and is also a member of the faculty of the Bennington Writing Seminars’ MFA Program. \n  \n\n      \n        \n      \n    \n \n \n 
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/before-all-the-world-a-creative-conversation-with-moriel-rothman-zecher/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Event
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251113T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251113T143000
DTSTAMP:20260403T164838
CREATED:20250918T145529Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250918T145529Z
UID:32193-1763038800-1763044200@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:Before I Go: Writing the Ethical Will
DESCRIPTION:Thursday\, November 13\, 2025\n1-2:30 p.m. EST\n$18\n \n\nLiving wills address the physical body. Financial wills protect property. But an ethical will is a gift of the heart and spirit—a way to pass along the stories\, values\, and wisdom that have shaped your life. \nIn this workshop with memoirist Ellen Blum Barish\, you’ll be invited to slow down\, reflect\, and give voice to the memories and teachings that matter most to you. Together\, we’ll explore how writing can help you express what sustains your hope\, the values that guide you\, and the ways you’ve experienced the presence of God or the sacred. Through thoughtful prompts\, journaling time\, and opportunities for gentle sharing\, you’ll begin shaping words that carry your love\, faith\, and spirit forward. \nYou’ll leave not only with the beginnings of an ethical will\, but also with a renewed sense of connection to your own life story—and with tools to continue this meaningful work at home. This is not about being a “writer\,” but about finding your voice and discovering how your words can become a legacy for the people you love and for generations yet to come. No prior writing experience is needed—just your willingness to show up with an open heart. \nThis event will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience. \n\nEllen Blum Barish is the author of the spiritual memoir Seven Springs (Shanti Arts\, 2021)\, the essay collection Views from the Home Office Window (Adams Street Publishing\, 2007)\, and a contributor to Chicago Storytellers From Stage to Page (Chicago Story Press\, 2020). You can find her personal essays in Tablet\, Lilith\, Brevity’s Blog\, Full Grown People\, Literary Mama\, and The Chicago Tribune and hear them on Chicago Public Radio. She founded the literary publication Thread\, which earned four notables in Best American Essays. Ellen has taught writing at Northwestern University\, Chicago-area synagogues\, and writer’s studios\, including Story Studio Chicago and Lighthouse Lit Fest. She works privately with writers on essay collections and memoir.
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/before-i-go-writing-the-ethical-will/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Before-I-Go-Ethical-Wills-2025-raw.png
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251125T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251125T133000
DTSTAMP:20260403T164838
CREATED:20251017T155200Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251120T214854Z
UID:32545-1764072000-1764077400@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:Balancing Gratitude and Grief: A Pre-Thanksgiving Writing Ritual
DESCRIPTION:Tuesday\, November 25\, 2025\n12-1:30 p.m. EST\n \n\n\nAs Thanksgiving approaches\, many of us hold both gratitude and grief—love for what we have and longing for what’s been lost. In this special session\, we’ll explore how Jewish tradition honors both emotions and how we can give voice to them through poetry\, prayer\, and ritual.\n \nJoin Gabrielle Kaplan-Mayer\, Ritualwell’s Director of Virtual Content and Programs\, for a reflective and creative gathering that invites you to bring your full heart to the holiday. You’ll be guided to create your own words and rituals that bring sacred awareness to your Thanksgiving table—and to everyday moments of gratitude and remembrance.\n\n\n \nThis session will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience.\n\n \n\nGabrielle Ariella Kaplan-Mayer is Ritualwell’s Director of Virtual Content and Programs. She is a spiritual director\, author and educator whose work focuses on spirituality\, creativity and disability. Her personal essays have been featured in Tablet\, Shondaland\, NBCThink\, Wisdom Daily\, WHYY and many other publications and she has published several nonfiction books as well as plays for children. Gabrielle is currently working on a memoir about the power of intuition and ongoing conversations with her ancestors. She writes a Substack newsletter called “Journey With The Seasons\,” a weekly practice of meditative reading with creative self-expression prompts. Gabrielle holds a BFA in theater and creative writing from Emerson College and an MA in Jewish Studies from the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. \n\n\n\n      \n        \n      \n    \n 
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/balancing-gratitude-and-grief-a-pre-thanksgiving-writing-ritual/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Event,Free
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251217T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251217T140000
DTSTAMP:20260403T164838
CREATED:20251114T163726Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251125T201058Z
UID:32759-1765976400-1765980000@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:Magnify the Light: Hanukkah 5786/2025
DESCRIPTION:Wednesday\, December 17\, 2025\n1-2 p.m. EST\n$18\n \n\nHanukkah calls us to notice the light — even when the world feels dim.\nThis year\, Ritualwell invites you to Magnify the Light\, a special Hanukkah event and eight-night practice of reflection\, creativity\, and renewal. \nIn a time of worldwide darkness — both literal and metaphorical — we gather to recognize\, amplify\, and tend to the many lights that still shine. History teaches that the way forward in dark times is to follow the lights of hope\, connection\, compassion\, and justice\, even when it feels difficult. A single spark can grow into a flame\, and a flame into a fire. But first\, we begin with a spark. \nGuided by mindfulness teacher Rabbi Daniel Raphael Silverstein\, we’ll gather on December 17 to meditate\, reflect\, and learn together\, opening space to nurture awareness and deepen our presence through the light of Hanukkah. \nThis experience comes with a new creative booklet for Hanukkah. For eight nights\, as you kindle your hanukkiah and set aside a pause in your day\, we invite you to open the booklet — a collection of readings from Ritualwell writers\, prompts\, and creative invitations designed to awaken your awareness of light in its many forms. \nEach night\, you can: \n\nPause in ritual to light the candles and name a light of justice in our world.\n\n\nReflect on a short reading that invites us to see the lights among us.\n\n\nEngage with a creative prompt that invites your expression.\n\n\nRenew your personal spirit and our shared communal vision.\n\nBring your candles\, your curiosity\, your voice\, and your yearning. Let’s kindle together — and let the light we do see grow warm and wide. Your printable Magnify the Light PDF booklet will be sent to you electronically before Hanukkah begins. \nThis session will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience. \n  \nDaniel Raphael Silverstein is a rabbi\, educator\, meditation teacher and MC/poet. He lives in Israel with his family\, where he directs Applied Jewish Spirituality\, an online portal which makes the transformative spiritual wisdom of our tradition accessible to all who seek it. Daniel is an accredited teacher of Jewish Mindfulness Meditation and regularly teaches classes and retreats. He was born and raised in London and received a BA from the University of Cambridge and an MA from Warwick University. After receiving semikha from Yeshivat Chovevei Torah Rabbinical School\, he served as Director of Jewish Life and Learning for Hillel of Stanford University in Palo Alto\, CA. Daniel has performed and facilitated all over the world as a spoken word artist\, MC\, and creative educator\, and the Jewish Week selected him as one of their “36 Under 36” young innovators reshaping the Jewish community. Daniel is a cofounder of Lines of Faith\, a Muslim-Jewish hip hop and poetry collective that uses performances and workshops to challenge prejudice and build meaningful bonds between communities.\n\n\n      \n        \n      \n    \n\n 
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/magnify-the-light-a-hanukkah-practice-for-spirit-and-justice/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Event
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260105T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260105T143000
DTSTAMP:20260403T164838
CREATED:20251125T180242Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251216T173250Z
UID:32969-1767618000-1767623400@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:Nia into the New Year
DESCRIPTION:Monday\, January 5\, 2026\n1-2:30 p.m. EST\n$18\n \n\nStart 2026 in active movement and flow of you body and creativity through the practice of Nia!\n \nJoin the Ritualwell community and Nia instructor Janice Steinberg (who is also one of our Advot members) to engage your body\, spirit and creativity through Nia movement followed by prompts for reflection and writing. No experience needed.\n \nNia is based on the philosophy that everyone can enhance their potential for a healthy\, meaningful life by engaging their senses and listening compassionately to their bodies. While it is adaptable to individual needs and abilities\, its core principle is finding your body’s joy of movement\, whether that’s swaying gently in a chair or dancing. Nia is low-impact and designed to be done barefoot. But it’s fine to wear tennis or jazz-dance shoes if that’s best for you. What you’ll need is a clear space so you have room to move\, or\, if you choose to stay seated that will work\, too.\n\nHave writing materials at hand. You may want art materials\, as well.\n \n\nThis online session will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience.\n \n\nA lifelong search for embodied spirituality led Janice Steinberg to the rich body-mind-spirit practice of Nia. She holds a Black Belt in Nia and has been teaching for 17 years. Her spring retreat in Italy\, “Dance into Ancient Wisdom\,” combines movement and the Kabbalah Tree of Life. She is also an author. Her novel The Tin Horse was published by Random House\, and she has a five-book mystery series published by Berkley. \n\n \n\n      \n        \n      \n    \n \n \n 
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/nia-into-the-new-year-2/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Event
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260111T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260111T143000
DTSTAMP:20260403T164838
CREATED:20250903T170439Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251210T152216Z
UID:32073-1768136400-1768141800@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:The 10 Rules of Writing With Etgar Keret
DESCRIPTION:Sunday\, January 11\, 2026\n1:00 -2:30 p.m. EST\n$54\n \n\nJoin us for an exclusive gathering with acclaimed Israeli writer Etgar Keret\, beloved for his wildly imaginative short stories\, wit\, and deep humanity. In this special session for the Ritualwell community\, Keret will share his “10 Rules for Writers”—hard-earned wisdom that’s as funny and surprising as his fiction.\n \nDrawing on decades of literary success\, Keret will explore how to nurture creativity\, embrace imperfection\, and find your truest voice on the page. Whether you’re an experienced author\, a devoted reader\, or just beginning to write\, this event will spark new ways of thinking about storytelling and the art of connection through words.\n\nCome ready to be inspired\, laugh\, and see writing—and the Jewish literary imagination—in a whole new light.\n \nThis session will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience.\n \n\nJewish Writers’ Circles Members: Please enter your promo code on the second page. Click the “Next” button\, then enter it as a promo code\, not a membership code.\n \nEtgar Keret is a celebrated Israeli writer known for his inventive short stories\, graphic novels\, and screenwriting for film and television. His work—marked by its surreal humor and emotional depth—has captivated global audiences and been translated into dozens of languages. Keret is the author of acclaimed collections including Missing Kissinger\, Suddenly a Knock on the Door\, and Fly Already\, which won the prestigious Sapir Prize. His storytelling has also found new life on screen: Jellyfish\, which he co-directed with his wife Shira Geffen\, earned the Camera d’Or at Cannes in 2007. Additionally\, Keret is a recipient of France’s Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres and the Charles Bronfman Prize\, recognizing his humanitarian vision and international cultural impact. He currently serves as the MFA Director for JTS’s new MFA in creative writing.\n 
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/the-10-rules-of-writing-with-etgar-keret/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Event
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260122T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260122T133000
DTSTAMP:20260403T164838
CREATED:20251203T163949Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251215T175734Z
UID:32991-1769083200-1769088600@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:Torah Metaphors: Connecting Between Biblical Figures and Our Lives
DESCRIPTION:Thursday\, January 22\, 2026\n12-1:30 p.m. EST\n$18 \nDo you ever find yourself identifying more with Jonathan’s quiet sacrifice than David’s victory? Do you wonder whether Leah could truly comfort Dinah\, or how you feel about Sarah’s choices? Torah characters carry deep emotional stories—and you may find pieces of yourself reflected in them. \nIn this introductory session\, you’ll explore your own reactions to select women and men of the Torah. We’ll ask: Where do their stories meet yours? How do their struggles echo the ones you face today? \nUsing Torah texts as creative sparks\, you’ll be invited to write directly to a biblical character—responding to their dilemmas\, imagining conversations\, and drawing meaningful analogies to your own life. What would you say to Esau about forgiveness?\nHow might it feel to step into Jochebed’s courage as she places baby Moses into the reeds? \nThe Torah is timeless\, and its dramas often mirror the challenges we navigate right now. Come join a warm\, lively exploration of these powerful metaphors—and discover how they can deepen and enliven your writing. \nThis session will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience. \nJacqueline Jules is an award-winning author\, poet\, teacher\, and librarian. Her poetry books include Manna in the Morning (Kelsay Books\, 2021)\, Itzhak Perlman’s Broken String\, winner of the 2016 Helen Kay Chapbook Prize from Evening Street Press\, and Smoke at the Pentagon: Poems to Remember (Bushel & Peck\, 2023). Her individual poems have appeared in over 100 journals. Her books for young readers include Sydney Taylor Honor Award winners: Sarah Laughs\, Benjamin and the Silver Goblet\, and Drop by Drop: A Story of Rabbi Akiva. Her picture book\, Moses and the Runaway Lamb\, was a Junior Library Guild selection. She has taught writing classes through the Writer’s Center in Bethesda\, Maryland and presented workshops at numerous conferences. She is also a student of Mussar and a book club leader. You can visit her website at www.jacquelinejules.com and read her poetry online at her blog.
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/torah-metaphors-connecting-between-biblical-figures-and-our-lives/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Event
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