Alternate Seven Blessings
“We are thankful for all that is good in this world”
Meditation on Self-Actualization and Tu Bi’Shevat
Imagining the human as tree
A Meditation for Rosh Hodesh Shevat
“the trees and we, too, did bloom”
Open the Gates of Justice
“Open the gates / and let all enter…”
In Each Word a Generation
A meditation for those who do not read Hebrew but wish to learn 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.
A Blessing for Self-Pleasure
Turning self-pleasure from a moment of embarrassment to one of beauty and joy
Shema to Comfort Mourners
“To remember these words / not only / when we lie down in slumber”
Rededication: 8 Teachings and Practices for Hanukkah
Teachings and practices for each night of HanukkahThe holiday which celebrates the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem following its conquest by the Syrians in 165 BCE. The holiday is celebrated by lighting candles in a hanukiyah oon each of eight nights. Other customs include the eating of fried foods such as latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiot (jelly donuts), playing dreidl (a gambling game with a spinning top), and, in present day America, gift giving.
Meditation on the Anniversary of Sandy Hook
“no matter the season, life is always the answer”
I’m Over the Maccabees: A Hanukkah Prayer
“I’m done with people telling me how to worship my God.”
