Last night I spoke to an interfaith study group at the Islamic Center of Southern California with colleagues Rev. Jonathan Stoner and Chaplain Khurram Ahmed. We were there to discuss grief and loss in general, and especially at this moment in time in world history. Each of us drew on our experience as providers of pastoral care to share the 10,000 foot view of Human Nature around grief and loss.

Chaplain Ahmed and Rev. Stoner shared reflections on the senseless nature of suffering they bear witness to in their work in a hospital setting. Especially in the children's ward. We stood in unity to note that death and loss strike in ways that don't make sense to the human mind or heart. It is definitely a Mystery, (with a capital "M").

We reflected on the varied ways people express grief, and how our reactions to loss are worth noticing even as we are grieving. As examples, I offered biblical texts that highlight the breadth of expression of grief. On the one hand, we have the vocal wailing of Hannah who cried out to God over her inability to bear children (in the book of I Samuel, chapter 1). And on the other hand we have the muted response to loss captured by patriarch Aaron, who the text notes, "was silent," in the wake of the death of his sons Nadav and Abihu (Leviticus, chapter 10).

It seems that who grief strikes and how grief strikes is not dictated by rhyme or reason, and that adds to the unsettling that accompanies it.

Each of us shared some of our thoughts on grief over the losses and death that have transpired across our communities, including in the violence in Israel and Gaza recently. We noted the layers upon layers of grief our communities are experiencing including ancestral trauma, loss of innocent lives, implications for our communities here in the United States, and our grief over our inability to stop the violence.

Our gathering provided a forum for participants to share and connect through personal layers of trauma experienced over lifetimes. One woman I sat with told of her childhood experience (from ages 7-11) in several Japanese interment camps during World War II. We shared ways we cope and pray and hold and move through our grief.

We only scratched the surface of understanding one another's personal and communal traumas. It was clear that in this interfaith space, folks were dedicated to deeply knowing one another, understanding one another's losses, and to holding space to grieve together.

Because of the sensitive nature of these conversations, this event, sponsored by the Interfaith Solidarity Group, was not recorded and was not live-streamed. But there will be upcoming opportunities to gather again locally in Los Angeles (if you are in Southern California, please email me at rabbimiller@keepingitsacred.com to indicate interest in attending upcoming in-person events). In addition, our community is committed to hosting programs in the future online as well. We are looking to bring the Parents' Circle to our community in what will be a powerful sharing of experience-- this event will be shared in the newsletter soon-- stay tuned!

And this month and for the next several months, our Rosh Chodesh Racial Justice Book Review is another forum in which we are currently exploring grief and loss as a community. We are reading Grieving While Black by Breeshia Wade, and exploring the layers upon layers of grief that accompany historical and contemporary racism in the United States. (Join us for that next on March 14; register here). From the book, I am gleaning a deeper understanding of the spiritual violence unaddressed grief and trauma perpetuates. And, I find it meaningful to explore with our tenderhearted KITS community members intent on the work of repair.

When we show up in each and all of these sacred spaces with open hearts and spirits seeking to explore and understand and compassionately engage, we offer one another an opportunity to connect on a human level. And that's a beautiful way to keep it sacred.

Together, we’re #keepingitsacred...

Rabbi Heather Miller

Founder, Keeping It Sacred

ADAR II ROSH CHODESH RACIAL JUSTICE BOOK REVIEW

Join our next Racial Justice Book Review on March 14th at 9:30am PT/12:30pm ET for Adar II! This is our way of ending each month with a new vision of racial justice. We will be exploring Chapters 2 and 3 together of the book Grieving while Black by Breeshia Wade. Register at keepingitsacred.com/upcoming.

DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME WILL START SUNDAY!

We are a global community-- and so we do things across time zones. So, this is a friendly reminder that the KITS community will observe daylight savings time this coming Sunday. This has implications for program start times, so please be sure to adjust your calendars accordingly to be sure to sync up with KITS programming! We hope to see you soon!

KITS CREATIVITY CLUB

Every Other Sunday 9am PT/12pm ET, enjoy a chance to hang out with other Keeping It Sacred community members, get to know each other better, and create. Our sessions are led by beloved KITS community members Sheryl Aronson and Wendy Stiver. The next gathering will be MARCH 10TH* please note that this is daylight savings, please adjust accordingly!

For this workshop: Our next KITS Creatively Club will meet Sunday, March 10 at 9 am PST, 12 pm EST, will be lead by Shari Pratt, and take 2 sessions. We will be making Family Trees like you have never seen before! March 10 all you need is paper and a pen or pencil. REGISTER HERE!

CHAT-OMG PURIM

Join us at 9am | Noon ET Friday, March 22 for a Purim Party like you’ve never experienced. Capitalize on our online experience with an interactive chat box retelling of the story of Esther. Join us for A Purim ChatOMG! REGISTER HERE.

MARCH: QUEEN'S 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.

PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDAR:

March’s service is Queen’s Shabbat in honor of Purim (3/29)

April’s service is Passover Shabbat (this may be a Saturday morning service*)

May’s Shabbat is Fire Pit Shabbat in honor of Lag B’Omer (5/31)

June’s service is Summertime Shabbat (6/28)

INTERGENERATIONAL HAMANTASCHEN JAM SESSION

This Purim, all ages are invited on March 23rd to enjoy making the Jewish culinary delicacy: hamantaschen! Beloved Keeping It Sacred member and master baker Diana Braker will prep and guide our experience so that we can enjoy the satisfaction of making fresh baked desserts, and eating them, too. Please note this event is held both online and in person! Please email mflanagan@keepingitsacred.com for our in person location. (LA area!) REGISTER HERE NOW! Please note welcoming is at 10am PT | 1pm ET and baking begins at 10:30am PT | 1:30pm ET.

INTERFAITH ZOOM PASSOVER SEDER

Join us again this year for Keeping It Sacred’s 4th Annual Interfaith, Intergenerational, International Passover Seder hosted online by Grammy-winning musician, Joanie Leeds and our own Rabbi Heather Miller 5:30pm PT /8:30pm ET April 23rd (this is a second night seder)! REGISTER HERE.

INTRODUCTION TO JUDAISM

Our Introduction to Judaism® online course gives participants a strong foundation for authentic and empowered engagement in the Jewish community.  This 18-session program is the perfect introduction to Jewish living, theology, texts, history, holidays, and rituals.

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This course is designed for spiritual seekers, interfaith couples, individuals pursuing or considering conversion, and Jews who want a meaningful chance to reconnect with their Judaism as an adult.

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Classes will be held Mondays at 1pm PT/4pm ET from January 22 through June 3, with breaks March 25 (Spring Break) and May 27 (Memorial Day).

The program is led by Rabbi Heather Miller and her teaching style is interactive, and encouraging of questions. She is queer and a member of an interracial, international, interfaith family, and joyfully engages with folks of all backgrounds. Rabbi Heather Miller is known for her open, affirming, and joyful approach.

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Come for the program, stay for the community! Weekly classes are augmented by Shabbat and holiday programs and additional experiential components all found on the calendar (HERE). Our course of 18 classes is $360 for individuals, and $500 for couples. No experience necessary. All are welcome!

View the course outline HERE. Full course materials are provided upon registration.

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Register for this program HERE. (we have hosted four classes but there's still one more week to sign up if you would like).

JEWS OF COLOR JOURNEY TOWARDS HEALING

Our own beloved Keeping It Sacred member, Jill Housen of 3W Consulting, thanks to a generous grant from The Jews of Color Initiative, will launch the “JOC Journey to Healing” virtual program in April 2024 to provide a sacred space for the Jews of Color community to heal and center JOC leadership. JOCs- please join us! This program is free of charge (covered by the grant). If you have any questions before you register, please email tamarghidalia@gmail.com and oshun821@gmail.com. To register: bit.ly/JOC-Journey-Toward-Healing

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.

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.

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!

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, Google 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.

2/29 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. 

2/29 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.  

2/29 SIYYUM TRACTATE BAVA KAMA

12pm PT | 3pm ET. 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 HERE.

3/04 INTRODUCTION TO JUDAISM®

This 18-session class is the perfect introduction to Jewish living, theology, texts, history, holidays and rituals on Mondays at 1pm PT | 4pm ET. Come for the class, stay for the community! REGISTER HERE.

3/07 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. 

3/07 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.  

3/10 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.

3/11 INTRODUCTION TO JUDAISM®

This 18-session class is the perfect introduction to Jewish living, theology, texts, history, holidays and rituals on Mondays at 1pm PT | 4pm ET. Come for the class, stay for the community! REGISTER HERE.

3/14 ADAR II ROSH CHODESH RACIAL JUSTICE BOOK REVIEW

This is our way of ending each month with a new vision of racial justice at 9:30am PT/12:30pm ET. We will be reviewing Chapter 2 & 3 together. REGISTER HERE.

3/14 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. 

3/14 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.  

3/18 INTRODUCTION TO JUDAISM®

This 18-session class is the perfect introduction to Jewish living, theology, texts, history, holidays and rituals on Mondays at 1pm PT | 4pm ET. Come for the class, stay for the community! REGISTER HERE.

3/21 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. 

3/21 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.  

3/22 CHATOMG PURIM

Join us at 9am PT | Noon ET Friday, March 22 for a Purim Party like you’ve never experienced. Capitalize on our online experience with an interactive chat box retelling of the story of Esther. Join us for A Purim ChatOMG! REGISTER HERE.

3/23 INTERGENERATIONAL PURIM JAM SESSION W/ DIANA BRAKER

This Purim, all ages are invited on March 23rd to enjoy making the Jewish culinary delicacy: hamantaschen! Beloved Keeping It Sacred member and master baker Diana Braker will prep and guide our experience so that we can enjoy the satisfaction of making fresh baked desserts, and eating them, too. Please note this event is held both online and in person! Please email mflanagan@keepingitsacred.com for our in person location. (LA area!) REGISTER HERE NOW! Please note welcoming is at 10am PT | 1pm ET and baking begins at 10:30am PT | 1:30pm ET.

3/29 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.

4/23 INTERFAITH, INTERGENERATIONAL PASSOVER SEDER

Join us again this year for Keeping It Sacred’s 4th Annual Interfaith, Intergenerational, International Passover Seder hosted online by Grammy-winning musician, Joanie Leeds and our own Rabbi Heather Miller 5:30pm PT /8:30pm ET April 23rd (this is a second night seder).

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...

And now on Spotify, Google Podcasts, Breaker, RadioPublic, PocketCasts!

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