The author in her grandma’s lap, with three generations of matriarchs (Miami Beach, 1976) Growing up in a Conservative congregation, I wasn’t allowed to attend yizkhor on Yom Kippur. The special memorial service occurs four times each year – Yom Kippur, Shemini Atzeret (at the end of Sukkot), Passover, and Shavuot. My parents adhered to Read More
Category: Hagim/Holidays
Opening Up Through Elul
The Spiral by Dori Midnight Join us throughout the month of Elul for conversations and activities designed to help you prepare for the Days of Awe. Draw inspiration from Joanna Macy’s (z”l) Work That Reconnects together with the study of sephirot from mystical Jewish tradition to reflect on the year gone by and gear up for Read More
Meet Léah Miller: Our 5786 High Holiday Spiritual Leader
This fall, Kehilat Sukkat Shalom will proudly welcome another student of Jewish spiritual leadership to guide us through the High Holy Days. Over the past five years, our Rosh haShanah and Yom Kippur prayer services and social gatherings have been enhanced by the presence of these guests who bring new ideas and unique perspectives on Read More
Celebrating Small Moments of Revelation
Yesterday, we came together to celebrate Shavuot. As with many Jewish holidays, Shavuot is a holy day which has gained new meanings and interpretations over time. The ancient Hebrews marked this day (50 days after the barley reaping) as the start of the wheat harvest. In temple times, the priests tied this period with calls for Read More
*Celebrate* Passover & Count the Omer as Acts of Resistance
(Image: Drawing of footprints leading to legs covered in stars taking a step into a vibrant red, orange, pink, and yellow circle of light with a rainstorm in the center and sun in the upper right corner. From the author’s 5783 Omer journal.) I’m writing a lot of quotes and affirmations on post-it notes these Read More
You Gotta Wake Up.
Ten days ago, I had the honor of leading our Kabbalat Shabbat service at the start of Elul, the current and final month of the year in the Jewish calendar. It’s been three or four years since I started serving as a lay leader in the kehilah, a role I never imagined I would take Read More
Preparing for the 5784 High Holy Days of Awe: Week 7
Chesed: Channeling Love for Ourselves, Each Other, and the Worldby Debra Seltzer NOTE: This is the 7th and final post in a series written by KSS members linking social and environmental justice issues to the 7 sephirot of the Omer cycle. To read the past six posts, please check our blog archive. We have come to the last week of Read More
Preparing for the 5784 High Holy Days of Awe: Week 6
NOTE: This is the 6th in a series of posts written by KSS members linking social and environmental justice issues to the 7 sephirot of the Omer cycle. To read the past five posts, please check our blog archive. WEEK 6: Gevurah: May My Left Hand Share Its Cunning by Jan Leibovitz Alloy I don’t tweet. I don’t boast photos Read More
Preparing for the 5784 High Holy Days of Awe: Week 5
NOTE: This is the 5th in a series of posts linking social and environmental justice issues to the 7 sephirot of the Omer cycle. To read the past four posts, please visit our blog. WEEK 5: Tiferet: Opening to Beauty & Brokenness by Michelle Moskowitz Brown The light of Tiferet is strong, demanding, radiant. Notice colors this Read More
Preparing for the 5784 High Holy Days of Awe: Week 4
NOTE: This is the 4th in a series of posts linking social and environmental justice issues to the 7 sephirot of the Omer cycle. Previous offerings are available in the archive of this blog. WEEK 4: “I believe I can do this!”: Learning from Nezach – Confidence/Persistencea Collaborative Offering, curated by Debra Seltzer Just over a year Read More