by Rabbi Katy Z. Allen We have, to date, failed to stop the runaway train of climate change. On this holiest day of the Jewish calendar, we must ask ourselves, How can we find and extract beauty from the pain of our failure? What does it take for us to
The Challenge in life is to figure out how to turn our pain into beauty by Rabbi Katy Z. Allen Photo by Mary North Allen My mother, z”l often spoke of the challenge of dealing with pain as she navigated a life marked by trauma and mental crises, as well
by Rabbi Katy Z. Allen We’re noticing the sun is setting earlier each day. We’re lighting our Shabbat candles earlier each week. We’re rushing to pack into the remaining days of summer a last hike, a last day at the beach, a last cookout, a last camping trip. My daughter-in-law,
by Rabbi Katy Allen The Eternal came down in a cloud. וַיֵּרֶד ה’ בֶּֽעָנָן (Ex. 34:5) Clouds, you change, from minute to minute, from day to day, from season to season, from year to year, growing, shrinking, even sometimes seeming to disappear, doing whatever is necessary, whatever is needed, to fit
by Rabbi Katy Z. Allen Woodchuck— you who make your home in my yard, I see you wandering, and eating, always eating— eating the grass (which is fine), or the flowers I so carefully planted, or the vegetable plants I’d thought would be safe— this year you seem to especially
by Katy Z. Allen Soon the shofar will be heard each weekday morning, attempting to awaken us to engage in heshbon hanefesh, soul accounting, deep reflection as a pathway to teshuvah, return to G!d, to our best selves, to all that we really can be. What is the connection between teshuvah and climate change?
by Rabbi Katy Z. Allen STOP! Such we are commanded each week. ~ Stop taking from the land! Such we are commanded each seventh year. ~ Why bother stopping? Perhaps to see. Perhaps to notice. Perhaps to discover if we care. Stopping draws us in. Opens us to new life.
by Rabbi Katy Allen Perfection. I’ve been thinking about it a lot. Intellectually, I know I can’t be perfect. Inside me, in hidden spaces, I feel like I’m not supposed to make mistakes. Which would, of course, mean seeking perfection. Perfection is supposed to belong only to G!d, though I’m
by Rabbi Katy Z. Allen We are rolling around to Elul now on the Jewish calendar. It feels too soon, and yet, it also feels right on time. Too soon, because Elul always comes too soon. I’m never really ready. And right on time, because it’s impossible to be ready.
by Rabbi Katy Z. Allen I turned inward with the lockdown. I didn’t want to go anywhere. My garden saved me. I worked outside almost every day. In early summer, I started again to lead outdoor services with small groups. But no walks on my own, in nature. After the depths of
The evening of November 8 was the first of the month of Kislev, which means Chanukkah (there are many English spellings!) isn’t far away – it begins on the 25th of Kislev and ends on the 2nd of the month of Tevet. During these days, from today until the end
by Rabbi Nina Beth Cardin~ Do you know where this new year falls in the shemittah (seven-year) count? Or when the next shemittah year will be? Even those of us who were deeply engaged in celebrating the last shemittah year may have difficulty remembering if it was 2 or 3
by Joan Rachlin~ I recently retired and have since been immersed in climate change related activities. I once heard it said that most working folk are “denatured,” so one of my post-retirement goals has been to “renature.” With this kavannah in heart and mind, I have been trying to more
by Rabbi Steve Altarescu~ When we stood at Mt. Sinai, the mountain was described as ablaze with fire and the people heard the sound of God from out of the fire but did not see any form or shape. We learn that since we experienced God without a form or
by Rabbi Dorit Edut~ These narrow, dark cobblestone streets still echo with the click-click of many shoes, sandals, boots…. of the modern tourists, flamenco dancers and local yuppies who now populate these gentrifying neighborhoods where once there stood a Jewish ghetto – Toledo, Cordoba, Seville, Granada… Small tiles with the
by Thea Iberall, Ph.D. A while ago, I started writing a book that contained everything I had learned about love, life, Jewish ethics, and about making peace with the past. And I made up a science fiction world of bad things happening. And one day, my sister Norrie said,
by Judith Felsen, Ph.D. ~If this were our last Elul might we see a different world? On the verge of our demise would each spark of nature sent by You remind us of Your light we are? In these days of hidden peace do we know we are Your kin together in the field? In darkest
by Rabbi Natan Margalit, Ph.D. ~Recently, I read an article in the New York Times Magazine that talked about the way that people do or say things, say, supporting a good cause or political opinion, not because they really believe in it, but because they want to signal to their
by Thea Iberall, Ph.D. ~A while ago, I started writing a book that contained everything I had learned about love, life, Jewish ethics, and about making peace with the past. And I made up a science fiction world of bad things happening. And one day, my sister Norrie said, “You
by Rabbi Judy Kummer~ Towards end of the day, towards summer’s end, body and soul prepare for farewells. Through piney woods I run, gauntleted by trees whose dark limbs reach up to breathe in fresh blue sky. Dim path; the light can’t reach down here. Ahead, the river
