Beloved community. In 1957, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote,

"... the end is reconciliation; the end is redemption; the end is the creation of the beloved community. It is this type of spirit and this type of love that can transform ...It is the love of God working in the lives of men. This is the love that may well be the salvation of our civilization."

His vision was that of a society based on compassion, justice, equal opportunity, and Divinely-inspired love for one another. A society where everyone would have the room to thrive. In the lead up to the holiday celebrating his birthday next week, we at Keeping It Sacred will humbly and proudly participate in activities to lift up this vision of a beautiful world. In the wake of the insurrection at the US Capitol Building last week, we need to come together to reflect, pray, and celebrate one another's participation in building the world we wish to see. We invite you to roll up your sleeves and continue to actively embody the values of beloved community.

Together, we're #keepingitsacred...

Rabbi Heather Miller, 

Founder, Keeping It Sacred

SCLC-SC Interfaith Prayer Breakfast with Van Jones

Join Rabbi Miller, who will deliver the invocation for the Interfaith Prayer Breakfast program in honor of the legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. hosted by the SCLC of Southern California. The esteemed participants include the charismatic Pastor William Smart, community builder Imam Jihad Saafir, visionary Pastor James Thomas and soulful Charlene Moore. The morning's keynote speaker will be CNN's brilliant Van Jones. This event will be LIVE streamed on Facebook on the Southern Christian Leadership Conference of Southern California's page (SCLC-SC). See the flyer above for more details. And, if you are so moved, please make a donation to https://sclc-sc.org/make-a-donation/.

WELLESLEY RACIAL JUSTICE INITIATIVE CONCLUDES 1st COHORT

Rabbi Miller and 18 other Wellesley Alumnae from across the United States have spent the past 5 months examining the way that white supremacy functions today through the intensive Wellesley Racial Justice Initiative's first ever White Alum Anti-racism Training. We read books and articles, watched films and lectures, and contemplated the ways in which individuals, governments, institutions, and systems are complicit. The capstone experience required each participant to unpack the ways race has influenced our lives, with reflections on how to create a more equitable world moving forward. Rabbi Miller reflects:

"As a society, we are immersed in systems of white supremacy daily. And this means that every day, we have choices to make about how we engage in the world. I'm proud to stand with this esteemed group of Wellesley alumnae to address the racism we encounter. I hope other Wellesley alumnae will join future cohorts, and that the general public will benefit from some of our resource material which I also included on the keepingitsacred.com/justice webpage.

A brief rundown of what I am taking away from this program includes:

-Racial justice work shows up in everything we do; every interaction we have, every call we make, every item we purchase, every time we vote, every sector of society we interact with;

-There are endless resources to read, watch, listen to which will help us understand the pervasiveness of the racial hierarchy in virtually every sector of society and it is our responsibility to educate ourselves;

-There are enough of these resources that we are beyond asking those in the BIPOC community to sit down and bare their souls, often resulting in re-traumatization;

-We have work to do in our personal, professional, civic, social, and religious lives;

-This work can be lonely and our support for one another is critical;

-Wellesley keeps showing up for me— educating me again and again, providing me with an incredible community, and holding space for the stuff that gives my life meaning;

-This was a great model for racial justice introspection and I would encourage others to create similar groups— I am always up for a discussion with people reading the resources provided; 

Together, we are building the world we wish to see." 

INTERFAITH SOLIDARITY NETWORK BREAKFAST

Keeping It Sacred has now joined the Interfaith Solidarity Network co-founded by Rabbi Jim Kaufman, longtime mentor of Rabbi Miller's. The Interfaith Solidarity Network breaks down barriers and inspires solidarity among communities in Los Angeles. We educate and offer opportunities for bridging differences in the public square with compassion, mercy, justice, and love..breaks down barriers and inspires solidarity among communities in the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles County. 

Join Rabbi Miller for an Interfaith Solidarity Network breakfast zoom Int the Spirit of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The guest speaker will be The Reverend Nontombi Naomi Tutu, daughter of the Nobel Peace Prize laureate and retired Archbishop of Cape Town Desmond Tutu. RSVP at https://tinyurl.com/ISNMLKing. 

THE PRAY WITH ME PODCAST

Sarah Walsh, host of the Pray With Me Podcast, invited Rabbi Miller to discuss being a woman rabbi and her activities as a member of the Board of the Women's Rabbinic Network, the process of becoming a rabbi, and her personal Jewish heroines. The episode, called "Keeping It Sacred with the Women's Rabbinic Network" can be found HERE:

PERSONAL INVENTORY OF BELIEF

Please join Rabbi Miller and what is shaping up to be a beautiful collection of people who will explore Personal Inventory of Belief-- the inaugural program of the Keeping It Sacred signature program: Access Judaism. 

Consider: What experiences have defined your spiritual path so far? How would you characterize your theological outlook? Join this class to consider your belief system, and learn about various Jewish theological traditions, from the commanding God to the force of Nature, from the inexplicable to the acutely involved.

This program will begin Sunday, 1/17 at 10am PT/ 1pm ET. To register, please go to: keepingitsacred.com/accessjudaism.

ACCESS JUDAISM

Our first Access Judaism class, A Personal Inventory of Belief, BEGINS THIS COMING SUNDAY, 1/17. Full class lineup personally designed by Rabbi Miller. Classes have a suggested donation of $25 per class, or $180 per session. Please register HERE. 

LOVELY LITTLE WEDDINGS

The reality of COVID-19 has created the necessity to pivot in every area of our lives. As a way to care for wedding couples looking to get married responsibly during these fraught times, Rabbi Miller has partnered with a dynamic team of wedding professionals to offer Lovely Little Weddings. You should see Founder Andrea Cohen's STUNNING chuppahs from Chuppah Studio! This is a great way for couples in the Los Angeles area to efficiently plan a Lovely Little Wedding. Check out the website HERE:

OUR FIRST ANNUAL REPORT

If you missed it last week, please take a moment to enjoy our first ever Keeping It Sacred Annual Report--  celebrate what we've built together in the past year.

HAVDALAH ON THE CLUB HOUSE APP

If you have joined the new social media site Club House, this event is for you! Rabbi Miller joins Value Culture's Adam Swig and soulful musician Mikey Pauker for a Havdalah ceremony to welcome in the new week. Find us at this Saturday night at 6:30pm PT on Club House.

IT IS A FUNDAMENTAL JEWISH PRINCIPLE: BLACK LIVES MATTER

Rabbi Miller was proud to help organize this important statement of fundamental Jewish principles by the Orange County Board of Rabbis.
 

Please click on the image above to view the statement, or read it here:

In 2020, our hearts broke over the killings of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and so many others. We understood that a fundamental Jewish principle needs to be clearly articulated: God is one and we are all created in the likeness of God. We say in our prayers: Shema Yisrael, Hear O Israel, The Source of Being is our God, The Source of Being is One. One means unity, but it does not mean uniformity. As Orange County rabbis and cantors, we are leaders of a Jewish community that is ethnically, politically, and denominationally diverse, and we all agree to come together to unequivocally value the dignity of humanity, across all races and backgrounds. And so, with broken hearts, we understand that this moral statement needs to be clearly articulated. This is a basic notion of justice. It is a fundamental Jewish principle: Black lives matter.

TALMUD TEXT STUDY!

Ever want to jump into a conversation with the rabbinic sages of old? Now you can! Join us as we study a page of Talmud every day, adding our perspectives and the relevance to our own lives as we go along. 

The more varied the participants the deeper the conversations. Thursdays 11am PT.

Currently, we are 91 members strong from 17 different states and 3 countries!

We are:

People interested in becoming Jewish

Members of various Jewish denominations

Clergy

Lay leaders

Retired people

People who are not Jewish

We are in our 20s to 80s, and we are everywhere on the spectrum of gender.

Build community affirming of one another’s journey in the sea of Talmud with us! Benefit from the wisdom of Jewish tradition!

What people say:

"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, send Rabbi Miller an email or DM on Facebook to be added to the closed, secret Facebook group and/or the weekly text study group. And look for us on Instagram daily HERE.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

iCal USER? 

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

EVERY DAY

Please enjoy our 7-episode web series and podcast: People Keeping It Sacred on YouTube HERE or on your favorite podcast player (like: Spotify  Google Podcasts, Apple + Podcasts, RadioPublic, Breaker, and PocketCasts). To learn more about Jewish holidays, check out our "A bit about... the holidays" 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.

EVERY THURSDAY: PRAYER CIRCLE

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

EVERY THURSDAY: KEEPING IT SACRED-DAF YOMI GROUP MEET-UP

Our Facebook group will host our next virtual meetup via zoom. For the link to attend this meeting Thursdays 11am PST, 2pm EST, 4pm Brazil time, 7pm London time. Register for this program HERE. 

THURSDAY, 1/14: INTERFAITH PRAYER BREAKFAST WITH VAN JONES

Join Rabbi Miller as she delivers the Invocation for the Interfaith Prayer Breakfast program in honor of the legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The esteemed participants include the charismatic Pastor William Smart, community builder Imam Jihad Saafir, visionary Pastor James Thomas and soulful Charlene Moore. The morning's keynote speaker will be CNN's brilliant Van Jones. This even will be LIVE streamed on Facebook on the Southern Christian Leadership Conference of Southern California's page (SCLC-SC). Tune in HERE on Thursday morning at 8:30am.

SATURDAY, 1/16: HAVDALAH ON THE CLUB HOUSE APP

If you have joined the new social media site Club House, this event is for you! Rabbi Miller joins Value Culture's Adam Swig and soulful musician Mikey Pauker for a Havdalah ceremony to welcome in the new week. Find us at 6:30pm PT on Club House.

TUESDAY, 1/19: INTERFAITH SOLIDARITY NETWORK BREAKFAST

Join Rabbi Miller for an Interfaith Solidarity Network breakfast zoom Int the Spirit of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The guest speaker will be The Reverend Nontombi Naomi Tutu, daughter of the Nobel Peace Price laureate and retired Archbishop of Cape Town Desmond Tutu. RSVP at https://tinyurl.com/ISNMLKing. 

2021: ACCESS JUDAISM: ADULT EDUCATION CLASSES

Please save the dates for accessible, relevant, and empowering Jewish learning! Classes will be held at 10am PT/1pm ET via zoom. No experience necessary. All are welcome! Register here: keepingitsacred.com/upcoming-1

Session 1 dates are:

1/17 Personal Inventory of Belief

What experiences have defined your spiritual path so far? How would you characterize your theological outlook? Join this class to consider your belief system, and learn about various Jewish theological traditions, from the commanding God to the force of Nature, from the inexplicable to the acutely involved.

1/24 Radical Responsibility for the World

Where did the Jewish sense of personal responsibility for Tikkun Olam/Healing The World come from? What wisdom can we glean from ancient perspectives? How can we best apply these values to our lives today?

1/31 Demystifying Denominational Differences

Reform? Conservative? Orthodox? Renewal? Reconstructionist? Non-denominational? Learn the history, philosophy, and cultural characteristics that define these branches of Judaism. Learn from Rabbi Miller who has extensive leadership experience in institutions across the spectrum. 

2/7 The Flavors of the Holy Books

You may have heard words like Torah, Bible, Mishnah, Talmud and others thrown around. But what are they about? How old are they? How can we understand them in context? This class will give you a deep appreciation for the canon of Jewish Sacred Literature. 

2/14 One for Every Mood: The Jewish Holidays

Did you know that there is a Jewish holiday for every mood? We have aescetic days and days of wild rejoicing and everything inbetween. Get a comprehensive sense of the Jewish calendar, and discover your favorites. It is no coiincidence that this class is taught on Valentine's Day-- did you know there is a specific Jewish holiday celebrating love, too? Come to the class to learn more. 

2/21 Jewish Intermarriage: A History

Moses was not the only one who married someone who was not Jewish. Learn about the history of this practice and how it is viewed today. Learn from Rabbi Miller who is the product of an intermarriage, has a HUGE interfaith family, and who wrote her thesis on the decision on intermarriage in the 1844 Rabbinical Convention in Germany. This history is FASCINATING.

2/28 The Righteous Economic Vision of the Rabbis

What would the rabbis think about capitalism, wealth, and poverty? Lending on interest? Paying workers? How might they think about the world we live in today? Come explore 2,000 year old texts and find your righteous rabbinic muse. 

3/7 The Kabbalistic Non-Binary God

Were you taught that God was a guy in the sky with a beard? Where did this image come from? What does the bible say? And how did the Kabbalists understand God as non-binary? Discover Divine gender-fluidity. 

Session 2 dates are:

4/11 The Intelligent Design of the Prayerbook

Stand up. Sit back down. Skip 23 pages ahead. Go back. What is with the prayer service? You might be surprised to know there is actually a brilliant order to the service. In just one hour, get a sense of the intelligent design of services, and open up a new way to understand Jewish spiritual practice. 

4/18 Reform Renovations of the Prayerbook

Home renovation shows feature flippers stripping old, outdated homes down to the bare bones only to rework them into beautiful sanctuaries of living. This is essentially what the Reform Rabbis of the early 19th century did to the prayerbook. Learn how they did it thoughtfully, and about the improtant practice of updating ritual that continues today.

4/25 Rituals as Markers of Transition

Jewish ritual is meant to mark significant life transitions. See how Jewish lifecycle provide structure for living with sanctity. Learn also about contemporary rituals, like those for getting a COVID-19 vaccination, infertility, gender transitions, going into remission from cancer, and more. 

5/2 The Characteristics of a Good Jew

What are the characteristics of a good Jew? Learn about the Mussar movement and get an understanding of the spiritual legacy of mussar. Learn insights on humility, generosity and truth. Find inspiration to cultivate these quatlities in your own life. 

5/9 Slam Poetry in the Golden Age

Medieval Spain birthed a Golden Age for the Jews. And,out of this era came a diverse array of poetry that is relevant today. From highly structured sacred praises of the Divine, to short quips about old age, to involved love poetry. Join us as we explore this vibrant literature.

5/16 Bad Theology: Terrible Explanations of Why the Righteous Suffer

Why do bad things happen to good people? We don't know. But we do know a bad explanation when we hear it. Join this class to begin to heal from spiritually corrosive explanations of your suffering, to learn how to best support a suffering loved one, and how to draw boundaries when someone shares an unhelpful word.

5/23 Siblings or Cousins?: Jews and Christians in the First Century

Did Christianity spring forth from Judaism? Or did contemporary Judaism and Christianity emerge together? Learn the roots of both and you decide: Siblings or Cousins or parent/child? We'll make proto-rabbinic Judaism fun and accessible! 

5/30 Before You Die Consider these Rabbinic Thoughts

What are the most important things to think about in life? What will we be held accountable for later? How can we live the best life possible? Learn from the wisdom that was shaped over millenia in the Jewish tradition. 

Please see keepingitsacred.com/accessjudaism and register for, one class, one session, or the whole program HERE. These classes are free with suggested donation of $25/class, $180/session, $300 for the entire program; no one will be turned away for lack of funds. All are welcome!

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 sign up, too!

If you’d like to make sure that this kind of quality programming by

Keeping It Sacred continues, please consider making a donation via:

PayPal using the link here

Venmo username: @keepingitsacred, or

Check may be made out to Keeping It Sacred and mailed to:

27068 La Paz Rd. #781, Aliso Viejo, CA 92656

Thank you for #keepingitsacred...