In the Light of the Candles
In the light of the HanukkahThe holiday which celebrates the rededication of the Temple in JerusalemLit. City of peace From the time of David to the Roman destruction, Jerusalem was the capital of Israel and the spiritual and governmental center of the Jewish people. During the long exile, Jews longed to return to Jerusalem and wrote poems, prayers, and songs about the beloved city. In 1967, with the capture of the Old City, Jerusalem was reunited, becoming "the eternal capital of Israel." Still, the longing for peace is unfulfilled. following its conquest by the Syrians in 165 BCE. The holiday is celebrated by […]
Morning
This poem includes the Modeh Ani prayer for greeting the day
Though the Faucet is Yet to Turn Again
This new poem uses the imagery of water through a faucet to capture the feeling of waiting for the captives to be released.
How To Survive the Day When It Feels Like the Whole World Is Against You
“Try not to think / of the children
who are not getting their baths, / who are not getting their parents.”
Ivri
“There is a line / drawn by darkness,
emboldened by Evil, itself…”
A Mother in the Dark
“We are looking for you. / We will not let you go.”
Tipat Torah: Singing Sad Songs Again and Again
In re-encountering 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. every year, we getA writ of divorce. Traditionally, only a man can grant his wife a get. Liberal Jews have amended this tradition, making divorce more egalitarian. the joy of meeting up with beloved places and dear old friends.
The Miracle of Oil
“I’m drilling / into darkness / to where the rabbis’ promise / flickers still.”
The Hidden Light
This new poem honors the complex feeling of Hanukkah this year, 2023/5784.
Who Frees the Captive
“How do we choose who will live or
who will die, what measure do we use / to free them and ourselves from this nightmare…”
