For My Cousin Julian z”l (Re’eh 5786)
My cousin Julian Newman died tragically last week after a long battle with depression. He was a young 30 years old. Julian and his sibling Rena Yehuda are the two children of my first cousin Heidi and her husband Dave. As a child, I remember my mom talking to her older sister Judy Goldfein, Heidi’s mom, at least once a day—and that was back in the days when you had to pay for long-distance calls on your landline. They were very close, which probably led to the Goldfein girls being the cousins we were closest with. That became even truer when Heidi’s family and mine wound up living walking distance from one another in Skokie/Evanston. Dave gave my kids music lessons. Our families, including...
Forgotten but in the End Remembered (Ekev 5786)
When folks ask me these days, “How’s your mom?” my answer is still, “She’s the world’s best Alzheimer’s patient.” But her world definitely feels like it’s shrinking. We’re approaching a decade since she was diagnosed. While she has blessedly been spared the kind of major personality change many dementia patients can experience, our conversations don’t have much room to roam. We stay close to talking about the meal that will be served next on her floor, what I’m up to today, and, when I visit, listening to music together. At this stage I often get the question, “Does she still recognize you?” That’s hard to answer. She definitely doesn’t recognize most people, though she is totally friendly...
Gratitude and Spiritual Protection Before Getting Out of Bed
Episode 34: Gratitude and Spiritual Protection Before Getting Out of Bed The transition from sleep to wakefulness can be fraught. For some, it is a time to jump out of bed and get the day going. Others just pull the covers over their heads and hide from the morning light. Rabbi Amy Grossblatt Pessah welcomes her soul back to her body and envisions being wrapped in light to set out on her day. We...
Parenting on a Prayer: Ancient Jewish Secrets for Raising Modern Children
Episode 33: Parenting on a Prayer: Ancient Jewish Secrets for Raising Modern Children There are tons of parenting books on the market, most of which are prescriptive and often lead to self-judgment. This week and next, we meet two authors who have reflected on their own experiences as parents and found wisdom to support themselves and others in the complex but delightful and revelatory practice...
Spiritual Journaling as Spiritual Listening
Episode 32: Spiritual Journaling as Spiritual Listening Alden Solovy spoke movingly about how poetry and prayer emerged in his life, and have sustained and nurtured him through very difficult circumstances. Now, he shares a key element of his morning prayer practice: sacred journaling. Listening deeply to his own heart, he touches on Awarnesses, Gratitudes, and Intentions to ground his life, and...
Alden Solovy: “This Precious Life”
Episode 31: Alden Solovy: "This Precious Life" We begin a series of three interviews with authors in the field of prayer. The first is with Alden Solovy, who writes at tobendlight.com, and who has recently published "This Precious Life: Encountering the Divine with Poetry and Prayer". His project is to offer us all entry into expressing our own prayers, and finding our way into the prayerbook as...
Praying to the Beloved
Episode 30: Praying to the Beloved Contemplative practice -- for instance, meditation -- can settle the body and mind and help us to sense the deep Oneness of all beings. But, it can also be lonely. We human beings also need connection and relationship. Rabbi Lavey Dereby shares his personal practice of passionate, heart-felt prayer, of reaching out to the One, as Beloved. [Note: the prayer...
“Middot and Meniyot” -or- “Musar My Way”
Episode 29: "Middot and Meniyot" -or- "Musar My Way" We often think of prayer as a practice of reaching out, of shifting our attention toward God "out there". But, it can also be a matter of turning inward, connecting to the divine -- and divine qualities -- in our own souls. Rabbi Rachel Gartner introduces us to her practice with the obstacles to shining the light of her soul more brightly into...
“God Lifts All Who Fall”
Episode 28: "God Lifts All Who Fall" Rabbi Jacob Staub recalls a teaching of his "rebbe" Sylvia Boorstein: whatever is happening, however you feel, whatever you know to be true, no matter how frightening, no matter how painful, no matter how difficut -- "Don't Duck!" But, how? Jacob leans into the arms of God, who lifts all who fall -- even him, even you. He invites you to join in this...
Why Worry When You Can Pray
Episode 27: Why Worry When You Can PrayWhen COVID-19 hit, rather than limiting religious life, Hazzan Harold Messinger (and his colleague Rabbi David Ackerman) of Beth Am Israel, created a new Zoom-minyan. Rather than bemoan not singing together, he used music on his end to engage people in their bodies and souls on their end. We invite you to have a taste of his Zoom minyan.P.S. check out the...
Morning Walking Practice
Episode 26: Morning Walking Practice There are many ways to pray, but fundamental to them all is opening awareness to that which is Beyond, to the All, to God. Cantor Josh Breitzer, in this time of pandemic, has turned his walking-commute into a walking-practice, bringing attention to the mundane aspects of the world around him, to wake up in payer. Read the episode transcript
Taking “Modeh Ani” Out of Bed and Into Our Lives
Episode 25: Taking "Modeh Ani" Out of Bed and Into Our Lives Is it possible to be fully grateful for our lives the first thing upon waking? How might the first prayer of gratitude, "Modeh Ani", help us cultivate a life of thanks and awareness. Rabbi Danielle Upbin shares her personal practice of mindfulness and chant. Read the episode transcript
Creating a Sacred Space to Pray
Episode 24: Creating a Sacred Space to Pray Many of us know where to sit in our synagogues for prayer, and allow the space to lead us into prayer. But, what do we do when we are on our own, even if joining in Zoom-prayers? Cantor Shayna DeLowe shares her personal experience of creating a sacred space for prayer, so that we might pray with her, as well. Read the episode transcript
A Rabbi, Yehudah Amichai, and Leonard Cohen Daven Together
Episode 23: A Rabbi, Yehudah Amichai, and Leonard Cohen Daven Together Weaving traditional liturgical melodies and the poetry of Amichai and Cohen, Rabbi Neil Blumofe walks us deep into the heart of love, through the morning/Shacharit service. Read the episode transcript
Expectancy — not Expectation
Episode 22: Expectancy -- not Expectation "All of Scripture is holy, but the Song of Songs is holy of holies" said Rabbi Akiva -- and also Rabbi Shefa Gold. She mines this book as a source of inspiration and personal teaching, through chant and silence. "Here comes my beloved!" Read the episode transcript
What Are We? The Redemptive Power of Prayer
Episode 21: What Are We? The Redemptive Power of Prayer In the early part of the morning service, we meet a passage that carries us through a profound contemplation of our lives. Rabbi Jordan Bendat-Appell leads us through the prayer, and into it, to find our way to love. Read the episode transcript
A Conversation about Purim with Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie
In case you missed it, watch Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie in conversation with Rabbi Josh Feigelson, IJS Executive Director. This live public event sponsored by IJS, took place on Thursday evening, February 12, 2021 with an audience of more than 600 people. Rabbi Amichai shares a unique perspective on Purim and offers new ways to celebrate virtually this year. Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie is...
Kissing the Mezuzah Opening the Door to Prayer
Episode 20: Kissing the Mezuzah Opening the Door to Prayer Who doesn't like to kiss? But, how many extend that to kissing the mezuzah? Aviva Chernickk has -- as a practice when she comes home and leaves the house, and as a prompt to cultivate the love invoked in the Shema. Read the episode transcript
Chant as the Heart of Prayer
Episode 19: Chant as the Heart of Prayer Cantor Audrey Abrams brings her background as a music therapist (and her self-awareness as a "shower davener") to help us use chant to open the heart, face our truth, and emerge more whole. Read the episode transcript
I am? And You are? Dialogic Personal Prayer
Episode 18: I am? And You are? Dialogic Personal Prayer Grounding his practice in the teachings of Rabbi Abraham Isaac Hacohen Kook and Rav Dov Singer, Rabbi Yosef Goldman leads us into a deep engagement with our own lived experience, grounding us in a heart of gratitude. Read the episode transcript