One of my kids' favourite music videos is called "Brave", by Sara Bareilles. It's about having the courage to speak out. It is just too easy sometimes to not say anything, to slink away, to avoid responsibility. We avert our gaze and pretend not to see the injustice, the bullying, whatever it is that we … Continue reading #BlogElul 19: Speak (video)
Tag: High Holy Days
#BlogElul 18: Ask
Asking questions is absolutely the heart of all that I do. When I first became a teacher, I thought I needed to tell people things. This goes back to when I was a graduate student teaching undergraduates, on to becoming a university instructor and later a high school math and physics teacher. I thought I … Continue reading #BlogElul 18: Ask
#BlogElul 17: Awaken
It's Friday again! The theme is Awaken - so appropriate, when the newness of getting up for school has worn off, yet we still need to get up on time. Awakening can be a challenge. At minyan each weekday morning during the month of Elul, we blow the shofar at the end of the service, … Continue reading #BlogElul 17: Awaken
#BlogElul 16: Pray
Oy. I made it halfway through Elul without missing a day, and I was so proud of myself, I promptly missed Thursday. That'll larn me to get too pleased with myself. So the theme for Elul 16 was Pray. Maybe that's why I missed it - it can be such a personal topic, and yet … Continue reading #BlogElul 16: Pray
#BlogElul 14: Learn
Do you like to learn? If not, what do you think the consequences of that might be? The brain, while technically not a muscle, is similar to our muscles in many ways - in particular, it's got this "use it or lose it" aspect to it, that becomes increasingly important as we age. If we … Continue reading #BlogElul 14: Learn
#BlogElul 13: Remember
Wow, we are almost halfway through Elul. Time is moving swiftly, and Rosh HaShanah will be here before we know it. School is starting again this week. What do we need to remember? I remember bringing each of my three children to school, as a tiny kindergartner. I remember hanging out by the school fence, … Continue reading #BlogElul 13: Remember
#BlogElul 12: Count
This morning I had a humbling experience of the power of community, and the importance of making each person count. It's a long weekend here in Manitoba, and indeed in most of North America. It's been an amazing summer, warm, sunny, just enough rain to keep things green, and NO MOSQUITOES. That's probably a first … Continue reading #BlogElul 12: Count
#BlogElul 11: Trust
Trust is a fascinating concept - hard to get, easy to lose. As babies, we start off trusting everyone - what choice do you have, when you are completely helpless and can't walk or talk? You are entirely in the hands of the adults around you, which is why babies are so incredibly cute, to … Continue reading #BlogElul 11: Trust
#BlogElul 10: Forgive
Wow, Rabbi Sommer, that's a hefty theme to put on a Friday, when I'm busy getting ready for Shabbat! Forgiveness is an interesting topic, because it is presented as a sign of ultimate altruism - this person must be a super nice and evolved person, because she forgave the person who did this dreadful thing … Continue reading #BlogElul 10: Forgive
#BlogElul 9: See
Yesterday I talked about the power of hearing within our tradition, but the High Holy Day liturgy is also full of powerful images, invoking our power of sight. The most famous image, of course, is that of G-d as King, seated upon the throne of judgement, deciding what will happen with us in the coming … Continue reading #BlogElul 9: See