Forrest Gump famously said, “Life is like a box of chocolates… you never know what you’re gonna get.”

Staring into my steel cut oatmeal this morning, I thought of this. I might get a burst of sweetness in a bite of berry in one spoonful and in the next… nuts! Pun intended.

At times in life, we can be puffed up from a great windfall and then deflated in the next moment. So how do we remain spiritually strong and centered through all of these fluctuations?

It’s hard. But first of all, Judaism is a tradition that teaches we should not ignore our pain. We are meant to grieve losses. There’s a whole beautiful process for mourning the death of loved ones, but it also goes beyond that. We are encouraged to feel our feels and process them. We even have a holiday dedicated to the destruction of the second temple which happened nearly 2,000 years ago with an emotional reading of the book of Lamentations. So, we may need to lament, and when we do, we do. And we shouldn't feel shame or embarrassment around that. Some say the measure of grief is according to the measure of love. So, that is accepted in Judaism.

But the key is to not stay in that place forever. And so, we are given the tools to climb our way out of the sadness that life can throw at us. What’s the secret? Gratitude. Now gratitude is not always easy to find, especially in the midst of heartache, but we are encouraged to try to find the sweetness amidst the bitterness.

In fact, the rabbis have challenged us to recite no fewer than 100 expressions of gratitude each day. And, if we have trouble finding the words…. the prayerbook is meant to guide us through. In fact, I was taught by Rabbi Larry Hoffman that there are 33 blessings of gratitude to be recited in each of the three daily prayer services - so the rabbis give us 99 of the 100 required prayers. We just have to find it in our hearts to be grateful for one thing each day. And this is the key to our survival.

So what will you be grateful for today?

That’s how we keep it sacred.

Together, we’re #keepingitsacred...

Rabbi Heather Miller

Founder, Keeping It Sacred

SPIRITUAL GENTLENESS BOOK CLUB: COMING SOON!

NEW KITS COMMUNITY CLUB: COMING SOON! Are you interested in holding spiritual space for healing through reading and community? Then please consider joining the new KITS Spiritual Gentleness Book Club (SGBC) led by members Ashleigh and Tracy. The SGBC will explore books in bi-monthly meetings, with topics and discussions centered on the questions that arise for those who are new to Judaism. With a collaborative approach to book discussion, we envision this book club as a place to make new friends, have nuanced and meaningful discussions, and deepen our relationships with Judaism. Gatherings will be held Mondays at 1pm PT, and will be scheduled soon. Stay tuned — registration information will appear in our upcoming newsletters.

SUMMERTIME SHABBAT

June 28, REGISTER HERE for Summertime Shabbat! Give yourself the gift of space to reflect and rejuvenate in community with monthly Shabbat services. Rabbi Miller and Max Winer will lead the community with Jewish thought and sacred song the last Friday of every month. 

These services take place the LAST Friday night of the month both online and in person (in Sherman Oaks, CA) at 5:30pm PT/8:30pm ET. Please RSVP for both at keepingitsacred.com/upcoming and if you’d like to join in person, please email Rabbi Miller at rabbimiller@keepingitsacred.com for details.

KITS CREATIVITY CLUB

Shalom! Enjoy a chance to hang out with other Keeping It Sacred community members, get to know each other better, and create. Bring your favorite form of creativity to work on, Art, Baking, Craft, Dance, etc. and share inspiration on June 30th at 9am PT | noon ET. REGISTER HERE!

Come create with KITS Creativity Club as we make all kinds of greeting cards for our members. Thank you cards, condolence cards, get well cards, and Mazal Tov cards that our members around the world will find meaningful because they were created by us! June 30 and July 14, 9am PDT, 12pm EDT.

Bring cardstock or construction paper, and anything you want to write, draw and decorate with. Have fun while you do a mitzvah!

RABBI MILLER CONCLUDES HER WRN BOARD MEMBERSHIP

Rabbi Miller recently received this beautiful plaque in recognition of her 5 years of service as a member of the Board of the Women’s Rabbinic Network where she served as Secretary and then as VP of Membership and Outreach.

She shares, “Serving on the WRN board these past five years has been an incredibly rewarding experience. There has been so much change in our movement, especially with regard to the reckoning of past gender based wrongs committed. The WRN has advocated in forums across our movement for the immensely complex work of teshuvah/repair. We have also advocated for family and medical leave policies that benefit people of all genders trying to care for themselves or loved ones. And we have created safe spaces for gathering and supporting one another’s pursuits. All of these efforts have helped the Reform movement align its actions with its values.

As Secretary, I worked to organize our files and keep diligent records of our conversations about these important matters. And as Membership and Outreach Vice President, I applied our Keeping It Sacred “global yet also hyper local“ approach to the WRN. I worked closely with our assistant executive director Rabbi Elaine Rose Glickman to launch opportunities to gather as the global community that we are, and simultaneously encourage local meetings with colleagues around the country.  We also encouraged excitement about the WRN among students at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in partnership with our student liaison, Yael Farber. And, of course, we worked hard to ensure a high percentage of membership renewals, year-over-year.

My efforts that spanned the five years of my board membership included my work, in partnership with others, to update our bylaws, expanding the inclusion of non-binary and gender queer identified rabbis to our membership. It was incredibly meaningful work to serve this global, visionary organization and I am excited for the new leadership that is emerging.

This plaque, paired with a touching note by WRN Executive Director (and visionary extraordinaire) Rabbi Mary Zamore, will be displayed proudly on my bookshelf and I will look at it fondly to remember my years of advancing the cause of gender equity through the WRN, and the amazing people I got to partner with to do so.”

WELCOME HOME, DON & ALICE!

This past weekend, Rabbi Miller visited beloved KITS Community members Alice and Don at their new home in Orange County, CA. In alignment with verses in Deuteronomy that instruct us to place commandments on our doorposts, the three hung the mezuzah. Don hammered as Rabbi Miller invited Alice to recite the blessing. The entire Keeping It Sacred community wishes Don and Alice many wonderful years in their new mikdash me’at/place of sanctuary!

CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION FROM 18 DOORS!

Our own Rabbi Miller returned from a bat mitzvah rehearsal for an amazing student who is the product of an intermarriage, on her 30th anniversary of becoming bat mitzvah (and she is also the product of an intermarriage) to get this awesome note- many thanks to President and CEO of 18doors.com! She writes, "Thanks Jodi Bromberg for bestowing this important meaningful award to me and others who affirm the experiences of Jews like us! It’s an honor and pleasure. We are grateful for your efforts. And we stand firmly in a place of honoring interfaith relationships."

HAPPY ANNIVERSARIES!

It is always SO GREAT to get a happy anniversary message from our members recounting with joy the officiation that we did for them. Even more so when the anniversaries are 10 and 11 years respectively in the same week! Rabbi Miller got these messages from members celebrating their 10-year wedding anniversary, and members celebrating their child's 11-year baby naming-anniversary. We honor them and wish them a hearty MAZAL TOV on these wonderful milestones!

TAMMUZ ROSH CHODESH RACIAL JUSTICE BOOK REVIEW

This is our way of beginning each month with a new vision of racial justice. Tammuz Rosh Chodesh Racial Justice Book Review: July 11th 9:30am PT/12:30pm ET. Register here! We are reading Grieving While Black by Breeshia Wade. And mark your calendar for upcoming dates:

• Tammuz Rosh Chodesh Racial Justice Book Review: NEW DATE! July 11, Chapter 8

• Av Rosh Chodesh Racial Justice Book Review: August 8, a special session on the intersection of antisemitism with racism, links will be provided.

• Elul Rosh Chodesh Racial Justice Book Review: September 5, we begin a new book: We Refuse, by Kellie Carter Jackson-- see her on CBS talking about this book HERE-- we are excited! (And bonus: she was a professor of our own Molly Flanagan when a student at Wellesley College!)

ADVANCE DIRECTIVES AND END-OF-LIFE OPTIONS IN 2024

Keeping It Sacred brings you this important program on end of life needs. Expert Karen Morin, founder of LA Patient Advocates will share information about palliative care, hospice care, and other considerations such as feeding tubes, antibiotics, dementia, voluntary stopping eating and drinking, and medical aid in dying/death with dignity.  This is your life and your voice is important. Attend to help understand more about choices available. Register here now!

RABBI MILLER’S “RESOLUTIONS”

The High Holy Days are coming and we have the perfect book to get you ready- Rabbi Miller’s RESOULUTIONS: A Practical Guide for Self- Repair

Available everywhere books are sold. For more information, check out: keepingitsacred.com/the-book

VIRTUAL FINANCIAL WORKSHOP FOR LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY*

TOMORROW! KITS members Avi and Shiffy Crane are hosting a complimentary Virtual Financial Workshop for LGBTQ+ community, their families and friends through their business: Rimon Consulting Group, Inc. on June 25 at noon PT | 3pm ET. To register, scan the QR code above, or, visit the link here.

PRENTIS HEMPHILL’S WHAT IT TAKES TO HEAL BOOK TOUR!*

Check out the Prentis Hemphill Book Tour for What It Takes to Heal: How Transforming Ourselves Can Change the World: prentishemphill.com/book.  Packed with chapters encouraging spiritual transformation to change the world.

HEALING CIRCLE & TALMUD TEXT STUDY EVERY THURSDAY

JOIN our healing circle holding space for all looking for prayers for healing. This and EVERY THURSDAY -- at 10:30am PT/1:30pm ET.

Immediately following that: at 11am PT/2pm ET, join us as we jump into a conversation with the rabbinic sages of old. We enjoy studying a page of Talmud every day and reviewing together every Thursday, adding our perspectives and the relevance to our own lives as we go along. We enjoy participation from participants across the world who span the spectrum of race, gender, class, age, and connection to Jewish thought.

*Please note we will not be meeting July 4th.

The rabbis could never have imagined such a wonderful group considering their thoughts!

What people say:

"Yesterday's class was superb!! I remain impressed by so many things that you do! You are able to keep us on track, share (some of) your knowledge with us, make all sorts of connections to the Jewish and secular worlds, and meet each of us where we are! Kudos to you!!"

"Talmud study has opened a window to that world for me. I love the anthropology and sociology of it all."

"The minority opinions may someday count as much as the majority opinions. It reminds us that things change the Halacha changes and we change each year that we read it."

"We have the opportunity to compare the Halacha we are practicing today with the one they were writing and studying in the Talmud... It has been very interesting how things have evolved how we keep the tradition in our own way."

"I feel very close to this amazing group and I'm grateful to Rabbi Miller for conducting it."

To join, please register HERE. Also, DM Rabbi Miller on Facebook HERE to be added to the closed, secret group where we question and discuss. And look for us on Instagram daily HERE.

AND, join us for the festivities as we conclude the reading of Tractate Bava Metzia on June 27th at noon! Register at keepingitsacred.com/upcoming. (see below!)

LET'S CONNECT ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Join us online at: keepingitsacred.com, Instagram accounts @hearabbi and @keepingitsacred, our Facebook pages HERE and HERE, YouTube Channel HERE and podcasts everywhere. Join us there for updated Talmud posts, Torah commentary, inspirations and invitations to gather online and in person.

Whether you found us through a friend, neighbor, a listserve or browsing the internet, we are glad you're here!

If you are a subscriber, you are a member! We have no membership dues!

Events with an asterisk * are hosted by organizations and communities outside of Keeping It Sacred. We want to pass along this news as important information.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

iCal USER? 

If you use iCal and would like the complete Keeping It Sacred calendar added to your calendar, click HERE. This way you won't miss an opportunity to connect via our LIVE activities. 

EVERY DAY

Please enjoy TWO seasons of our 7-episode web series People Keeping It Sacred and our Jewish Holiday series called "A Bit About..." both available on YouTube HERE and via podcast on your favorite podcast player including: PocketCasts, Breaker, RadioPublic, Apple + Podcasts, Spotify and more HERE.

ONGOING: SPIRITUAL COUNSELING

Rabbi Miller is available for 1-on-1 spiritual counseling; pay what you can. Topics are based upon the participant and can include your personal theological understanding of coronavirus, spiritually making space for others in your home, the spirituality of isolation and finding your way back to sacred connection. For more information, click HERE.

6/25 QUEERING YOUR FINANCES

KITS members Avi and Shiffy Crane are hosting a complimentary Virtual Financial Workshop for LGBTQ+ community, their families and friends on June 25 at noon PT | 3pm ET. To register, scan the QR code above, or, visit the link here.

6/27 HEALING CIRCLE

Join us as we gather every Thursday for a Prayer Circle. Lift up names of those who are ill, and join together for support and community. All are welcome. 10:30am PT/ 1:30pm ET/ 3:30pm Brazil time/ 6:30pm London-time. Register for this program HERE. 

6/27 PAGE-A-DAY OF TALMUD DAF YOMI GROUP MEET-UP

Thursdays at 11am PT/ 2pm ET/ 4pm Brazil time/ 7pm London time, join us as we review the past week's Talmud readings in sacred international community. No experience necessary, but be ready for some *interesting* discussions. Bring what you know about Torah, but also what you know to be true from your own life. Your insights are appreciated. Register for this program HERE.  

6/27 SIYYUM TRACTATE BAVA METZIA

Grab your place at the table as we sit down with the sages of old and wrestle with their thinking, enjoy their stories, and glean their wisdom! Register for this program here!

6/28 SUMMERTIME SHABBAT: SHABBAT SERVICES

Give yourself the gift of space to reflect and rejuvenate in community with monthly shabbat services. Rabbi Miller and Max Winer will lead the community with Jewish thought and sacred song the last Friday of every month. Rabbi Miller is our rabbi! And, Max Winer is a storyteller, song leader, and musician who uses these creative expressions to help create community, facilitate learning, and inspire a love of Judaism. These services take place the LAST Friday night of the month both online and in person (in Sherman Oaks, CA) at 5:30pm PT/8:30pm ET. Register here!

6/30 CREATIVITY CLUB

Every other Sunday at 9am PT | noon ET! Enjoy a chance to hang out with other Keeping It Sacred community members, get to know each other better, and create. Bring your favorite form of creativity to work on, Art, Baking, Craft, Dance, etc.. and share inspiration. Some weeks will include someone teaching how to do a project/technique, other weeks will be purely socializing while we do our own things. Register here!

7/11 TAMMUZ ROSH CHODESH RACIAL JUSTICE BOOK REVIEW

This is our way of ending each month with a new vision of racial justice. 9:30am PT/12:30pm ET. We are reading chapter 8 of Grieving While Black by Breeshia Wade. Register for this program HERE. 

7/11 HEALING CIRCLE

Join us as we gather every Thursday for a Prayer Circle. Lift up names of those who are ill, and join together for support and community. All are welcome. 10:30am PT/ 1:30pm ET/ 3:30pm Brazil time/ 6:30pm London-time. Register for this program HERE. 

7/11 PAGE-A-DAY OF TALMUD DAF YOMI GROUP MEET-UP

Thursdays at 11am PT/ 2pm ET/ 4pm Brazil time/ 7pm London time, join us as we review the past week's Talmud readings in sacred international community. No experience necessary, but be ready for some *interesting* discussions. Bring what you know about Torah, but also what you know to be true from your own life. Your insights are appreciated. Register for this program HERE.  

7/14 CREATIVITY CLUB

Every other Sunday at 9am PT | noon ET! Enjoy a chance to hang out with other Keeping It Sacred community members, get to know each other better, and create. Bring your favorite form of creativity to work on, Art, Baking, Craft, Dance, etc.. and share inspiration. Some weeks will include someone teaching how to do a project/technique, other weeks will be purely socializing while we do our own things. REGISTER HERE.

7/18 HEALING CIRCLE

Join us as we gather every Thursday for a Prayer Circle. Lift up names of those who are ill, and join together for support and community. All are welcome. 10:30am PT/ 1:30pm ET/ 3:30pm Brazil time/ 6:30pm London-time. Register for this program HERE. 

7/18 PAGE-A-DAY OF TALMUD DAF YOMI GROUP MEET-UP

Thursdays at 11am PT/ 2pm ET/ 4pm Brazil time/ 7pm London time, join us as we review the past week's Talmud readings in sacred international community. No experience necessary, but be ready for some *interesting* discussions. Bring what you know about Torah, but also what you know to be true from your own life. Your insights are appreciated. Register for this program HERE.   

7/25 HEALING CIRCLE

Join us as we gather every Thursday for a Prayer Circle. Lift up names of those who are ill, and join together for support and community. All are welcome. 10:30am PT/ 1:30pm ET/ 3:30pm Brazil time/ 6:30pm London-time. Register for this program HERE. 

7/25 PAGE-A-DAY OF TALMUD DAF YOMI GROUP MEET-UP

Thursdays at 11am PT/ 2pm ET/ 4pm Brazil time/ 7pm London time, join us as we review the past week's Talmud readings in sacred international community. No experience necessary, but be ready for some *interesting* discussions. Bring what you know about Torah, but also what you know to be true from your own life. Your insights are appreciated. Register for this program HERE.   

7/26 SHABBAT SERVICES

Give yourself the gift of space to reflect and rejuvenate in community with monthly shabbat services. Rabbi Miller and Max Winer will lead the community with Jewish thought and sacred song the last Friday of every month. Rabbi Miller is our rabbi! And, Max Winer is a storyteller, song leader, and musician who uses these creative expressions to help create community, facilitate learning, and inspire a love of Judaism. These services take place the LAST Friday night of the month both online and in person (in Sherman Oaks, CA) at 5:30pm PT/8:30pm ET. Register here!

7/28 CREATIVITY CLUB

Every other Sunday at 9am PT | noon ET! Enjoy a chance to hang out with other Keeping It Sacred community members, get to know each other better, and create. Bring your favorite form of creativity to work on, Art, Baking, Craft, Dance, etc.. and share inspiration. Some weeks will include someone teaching how to do a project/technique, other weeks will be purely socializing while we do our own things. REGISTER HERE.

8/6 ADVANCE DIRECTIVES AND END-OF-LIFE OPTIONS IN 2024

Keeping It Sacred brings you this important program on end of life needs. Expert Karen Morin, founder of LA Patient Advocates will share information about palliative care, hospice care, and other considerations such as feeding tubes, antibiotics, dementia, voluntary stopping eating and drinking, and medical aid in dying/death with dignity.  This is your life and your voice is important. Attend to help understand more about choices available. Register here now!

THANK YOU!

You are a cherished member of this community and we love to hear from you-- what questions do you have? Reach out to rabbimiller@keepingitsacred.com or via phone at 818-312-8388 anytime to let us know what you’re finding meaningful, inspiring and what you’d like to see.

Together, we're #keepingitsacred...

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We'd love for you to forward this to a friend to invite them to join us, too!