First Hanukkah Without Mom
“For the first time / I will miss / The 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. lights”
Simple Prayer
I yearn. I yearn like the tree in the forest That longs for the light shimmering above. I yearn like the parched plant in the desert Thirsting for […]
Prayer after Healing
“Binder of wounds, / Open me to / Unplanned wonder”
Prayer for Not Desisting from the Work
“with each step, breath, check mark, or absence / I can sing your praise”
Fading Light on the Eighth Night
“I look to the next candle in line, / still alive with yellow glow and hope”
On the second night of Hanukkah the miracle is Ukraine
“On the land / we were forbidden to light / candles, they now burn / under rocket-fire”
Blessing for the Dedication of Solar Panels
“We come here in humility and gratitude today for the opportunity to celebrate the installation of our solar panels”
Blessing for Zoom
“Who makes it possible for us to see those we love”
Vayeshev: Seen From Afar
“We never threw our brother / into a well, but coveted / his stories and dreams”
Interpretive Third Paragraph of the Shema
“keep me open to wonder and awe so I don’t lose my way in the small places of heart and mind”
