Wow, Rabbi Sommer has started us off with a bang! Elul is definitely full of doing, especially for me this year. The preparations for the Downstairs Alternative Services are in full swing! I spent a good two hours last night talking with my co-conspirators about the order of the service and who is doing what. … Continue reading #BlogElul 1: Do
Tag: Jewish
Preparing for #BlogElul!
I am so excited. One of the absolute highlights of my blogging year is coming up. It's almost time for #BlogElul! Every year, my friend Rabbi Phyllis Sommer sets up a schedule for blogging, tweeting and Instagramming (is that a verb?) about the Jewish month of Elul. Elul is the final month of the Jewish … Continue reading Preparing for #BlogElul!
The Alternative Minyan Lives!
Just over a year ago, I published in this space a guest blog post by Carol Rose, about the Rose Family Alternative High Holiday Minyan and its illustrious 35 years of operation. My family and I have been honoured to be participants in this minyan for over a decade. This year, however, is different. Due … Continue reading The Alternative Minyan Lives!
Where September Went
So, in August I inundated you with posts every day, and in September I was absent for three days of almost every week. What's going on? The Jewish holidays are on a curious schedule, strictly tied to the seasons of the Northern Hemisphere (the Torah clearly did not envision Jews in Australia or South Africa). … Continue reading Where September Went
#BlogElul 29 – Return
Here it is. It's Erev Rosh HaShana. The last #BlogElul post of the season. I am both relieved and sad to have made it this far. I'm very proud that I did not miss a single day (although some were close!). But I am sad to bring this series to a close - it forced … Continue reading #BlogElul 29 – Return
#BlogElul 28 – Give
The other day I was listening to one of my favourite podcasters, Michael Hyatt. He was talking about the two different ways of thinking about the world - the scarcity model and the abundance model. The scarcity model is often evinced by people who have gone through hardship, or even more so, by the children … Continue reading #BlogElul 28 – Give
#BlogElul 26 – Hope
As you know, I've been writing this series of blog posts as part of Rabbi Phyllis Sommer's #BlogElul challenge. I've also been talking about her 7 year old son, Sam, who has just received a bone marrow transplant because of persistant leukemia. I don't know if Rabbi Sommer had the fact that September is Childhood … Continue reading #BlogElul 26 – Hope
#BlogElul 25 – Begin
In the circle of life, after an ending, there must be a beginning. As summer approaches its end, we look forward to all the new beginnings associated with the High Holy Days. Not only do we start a new year, 5774, on Rosh HaShanah, but we also complete the cycle of reading the Torah at … Continue reading #BlogElul 25 – Begin
#BlogElul 24 – End
Friday is the end of the work week, tomorrow is Shabbat again, yay! I cannot believe how close we are to Rosh HaShanah. Where did Elul go? Many people have commented that September feels more like a new year than January. Who puts the new year in the dead of winter anyway? Makes much more … Continue reading #BlogElul 24 – End
#BlogElul 21 – Change (II)
It's been a very rough year for Rabbi Phyllis Sommer and her family. As you read this blog post on August 27, her 7-year-old son Sam will be undergoing a bone marrow transplant to treat his persistent leukemia. It's a parent's nightmare. Sam can use all of our good thoughts and prayers, so please send … Continue reading #BlogElul 21 – Change (II)