Out of 2200 attendees at the Tikkun Leil Shavuot at the JCC on the Upper West Side, several encounters especially remain vibrant in my mind. There are those where e-mail correspondents become known panim-el-panim, face-top-face. Wonderful to meet each of you in person! May our lives continue to intersect in Torah study and mitzvah-centered living.
Sometimes innovative people are also natural connectors. My colleague here at Reclaiming Judaism, Rabbi Shohama Wiener is such a one. Her most amazing talent is engaging with each person in such an uplifting way that we experience spirituality in her very presence. And when Shohama lights up, you know something holy is going to happen.
At LimmudPhilly I was delighted to offer several sessions. Just want to mention one in particular, a workshop on how to relate to the homeless people we encounter on any random day. We began with each person sharing a memory of such an encounter and what it was like for them. The candor and depth of the participants got us off to a great start as we deepened in the relevant mitzvot together - tamhui, kvod ha-briut and more. I taught a type of listening that validates a person who is down and out even if we can't totally transform their life and circumstances.
This week while trying to create a few more feet of space in my study, my ever-so-helpful Hubbatzin Barry and I discovered that In 1969 I gave a session as a USYer at a National Conference titled "Did God, Moses or Aaron Hit Miriam with a Stained Glass Ceiling?" That theme continues as major in my life, as in another both we note it re-appears in my journal in regard to a battle with Dr. Bardein over his exclusion of women from leading services at was then titled the Bardein Institute.
The video below is a delightful discovery. Rabbi Rosalind Glazer has recorded Rabbi Goldie Milgram's interpretive lyrics for Psalm 150 melody by Leonard Cohen. Rabbi Glazer's voice is exquisite! Lyrics appear below the video.
Many seder supplements are single issue pieces. At our seder, we hope to connect participants to the key issues of our times in brief, yet meaningful ways. Our seder outline and songsheet is downloadable for free. If you've been following these postings, here's the one song you haven't seen yet, a song that communicates a mystical meaning of the afikomen.
The seder liturgy of the Four Sons has always disturbed me for reasons more than gender bias, also because of the dismissive labeling and assumptions about children. So, we teamed up to create this new version which recasts the sons through a contemporary understanding of children's behavior. The piece is titled Four Special Children. Blessings for a sweet and meaningful Passover!
New SOUNDS OF SEDER (to the tune of Sounds of Silence) to sing during Maror, addressing some of our current social/political concerns with heart, strength, and a shtikele humor, by Rabbi Goldie Milgram.
This live zoom concert honored groundbreaking composers giving Jewish feminist voice through song to the women of the Bible.Concert composers and performers:
Sometimes innovative people are also natural connectors. My colleague here at Reclaiming Judaism, Rabbi Shohama Wiener is such a one. Her most amazing talent is engaging with each person in such an uplifting way that we experience spirituality in her very presence. And when Shohama lights up, you know something holy is going to happen.