When my stepdad, Mike, diagnosed with terminal cancer, lay on his deathbed, I noticed something beautiful. There was a stoic little green praying mantis perched outside on the front door . It stayed there for the last week of Mike’s life, and was a great source of comfort for our whole family as we visited dutifully day in and day out. A symbol that we were all surrounded by prayer, perhaps? A symbol that nature was feeling the big changes taking place inside?

Have you ever had an auspicious visit from a creature in nature?

Over the course of my life I have seen some truly breathtaking creatures in stunning environments. As a Girl Scout, my troop encountered a mama brown bear with two baby cubs on a hike in the woods. In junior high, I saw several deer on the hill near my school. As a teen I saw a bobcat across the street from my house, who definitely saw me before I saw it!

And yesterday, I had another chance encounter with a beautiful creature while I was gardening. I came across a caterpillar. Not one of those green ones with the light green stripe down the side, but a big furry black caterpillar. And it was fast! It was beautiful and it was moving briskly across my backyard turf.

And you know what- it was extra special as it has a meaningful connection to this time of year. The high holy days are the time of personal change and transformation. And of course the caterpillar’s  journey of metamorphosis into a butterfly is the quintessential symbol of change. It reminds us that even drastic change, is possible.

I mean this little creature crawls meagerly on its belly, shedding its skin several times until one day it perches upside-down on a leaf, becomes encased in a cocoon, and then finally emerges with beautifully colored wings able to fly. (For a fun video on this process, see the video HERE).

Each of us can be like the caterpillar, transforming ourselves every year. So, what transformations do we need to make in this year in terms of our health and family life, in terms of our daily life and political life, in terms of how we relate to one another and community?

This is the season is the season of change— may we emerge in the new year, ready to fly!

This is how we’re #keepingitsacred…

Together, we’re #keepingitsacred...

Rabbi Heather Miller

Founder, Keeping It Sacred

SPIRITUAL GENTLENESS BOOK CLUB!

TODAY! 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.

Our next session will meet September 23rd at 2:30pm PT | 5:30pm ET, register here. We will be reviewing beyond part 2 (chapter 4 & on) of Here All Along by Sarah Hurwitz! And Rabbi Miller will join us this week. Enjoy this amazing work and let's talk today!

A BIT ABOUT … THE NEW YEAR

Check out Rabbi Miller's video about the New Year in our Keeping It Sacred "A bit about..." series. Whether you're new to Judaism or have been celebrating these holy days for years, these episodes are designed to be accessible, relevant, and empowering. Check it out on YouTube HERE, or Listen on Spotify HERE.

REFLECTIONS AND EXPECTATIONS: HIGH HOLY DAYS WITH KITS

Join us for the High Holy Days!

Our Founder, Rabbi Heather Miller will bring texts, traditions, and teachings from the wisdom of the Sages into relevance today. And this year, she will again be joined by the talented and good-hearted Cantorial Soloist Rachel Rothman. Rachel holds her Master’s degree in Vocal Performance from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and fuels her spirituality and Judaism through music.

The entire lineup of services will be offered online including a Rosh Hashanah Seder, and a Morning Rosh Hashanah Service, as well as a hybrid (in person and online) Tashlich Service, Kol Nidrei Service, a Yom Kippur morning service, Yizkor, and Neilah service (See below to sign up). As always, services will be free of charge to all who wish to attend, but your contributions allow us to uphold this value of keruv/accessibility. As you reserve, please consider a meaningful gift to help us cover the costs of running this transformational programming and helping to support all of the sacred work we do.

MORE about Cantorial Soloist Rachel Rothman:

We are so blessed as a community to have the exquisite heartfelt musicality of Cantorial Soloist Rachel Rothman co-lead us this High Holy Day Season. She holds her Master’s degree in Vocal Performance from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. She has spent summers performing with opera festivals in Italy, and currently has an in-demand vocal studio where she teaches voice lessons privately. And, Rachel feels lucky to fuel her spirituality and Judaism through music. Rabbi Miller has known Rachel since 2008 and shares, “Rachel is an incredible talent, with a soul of sincerity, sensitivity, and sensibility. She is a gifted prayer leader with a range from participatory song to high art, having a voice trained by camp song leaders and conservatory instructors alike. I am incredibly excited to again co-lead this season's worship experiences with Rachel.”

Please join us for the High Holy Days-- gather in community for:

SEND US YOUR IMPORTANT DATES

The Jewish tradition is a tradition of marking time. We remember holy days and ritualize historical events. Personally impactful dates are important, too. So in our community, we celebrate birthdays & anniversaries and honor yahrzeits monthly at services, and read from be our Names of Remembrance list at Yizkor/ Remembrance Services. So please, send us your significant dates to mark together as a community to mflanagan@keepingitsacred.com. This is how we’re Keeping It Sacred. 

RABBI MILLER’S “RESOULUTIONS”

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. 5 stars with 12 reviews! Available everywhere books are sold. For more information, check out: keepingitsacred.com/the-book.

MAZAL TOV, ANN AND MICHELLE!

A surprise MAZAL TOV goes out from Shelley & Kelly to dear friends Michelle & Ann who are going to celebrate their sweet 16th wedding anniversary on October 11. Michelle & Ann were married by Rabbi Miller in 2008 under a chuppah at their beautiful home in Laguna Beach overlooking a glistening ocean, surrounded by dear friends and family. The entire KITS community wishes them a hearty Mazal Tov! And kol hakavod to Shelley and Kelly for thinking to recognize this special simcha in our newsletter.

SHABBAT OF APOLOGY

Join us September 27th for Shabbat of Apology, as it is the last Shabbat before the new year. It is a special time for reflection and spiritual repair. 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. All are welcome to join us in person or online. Register HERE.

KITS CREATIVITY CLUB

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. 

Our next meeting is: October 6th at 9am PT/ 12pm ET. REGISTER HERE!

NEW! KITS LITERARY CLUB

Love literature? A new KITS Literary Club is forming led by, and for, our members. A place to share, create and analyze all things written word. If interested, please contact Digital Marketing Director Molly Flanagan for information on the initial meeting at  mflanagan@keepingitsacred.com. 

WRITING YOUR BOOK WITH ERIN SUMMERS NORMAN

Join us as beloved Keeping It Sacred member, Erin Summers Norman, shares about her experiences writing her memoir over the past 28 years.  She covers her life across two continents: learning that her father was adopted from a Jewish family, his service in Vietnam, and her journey back to Judaism through conversion under the auspices of our own Rabbi Miller. In the session, she will also reflect on her process of self-sharing—from her time of publishing her first draft with a publisher in 2015, to her reclaiming her story, and decision to self-publish her rework with the title of Samizdat (forthcoming). Samizdat is the Russian word for “self-publishing” and can be understood through the lens of social justice— with an emphasis on encouraging folks of all walks of life to tell their own story and not be discouraged— giving voice to the voiceless. Join us for this program of discovery and empowerment: Monday, Sept 30, 10am PT/1pm ET. REGISTER HERE!

CHESHVAN ROSH CHODESH RACIAL JUSTICE BOOK REVIEW

At Keeping it Sacred, we observe Rosh Chodesh, the start of each new month, with a Racial Justice Book Review. Each month we examine new material. 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!) REGISTER HERE! 

Check out dates below for upcoming Rosh Chodesh where we will review We Refuse:

• 11/7 Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan: Chapter 1

• 12/5 Rosh Chodesh Kislev: Chapter 2

• 1/2 Rosh Chodesh Tevet: Chapter 3

• 1/30 Rosh Chodesh Shevat: Chapter 4

• 2/27 Rosh Chodesh Adar: Chapter 5

HELP LABORERS SIGN A FAIR CONTRACT

Join our coalition partners at CLUE-LA (Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice) and UNITE HERE Local 11 as we petition the owners and operators of the Cameo Hotel Beverly Hills and Marriott Beverly Hills to present a contract to laborers that includes a living wage so that they can keep up with the soaring cost of housing in the Los Angeles area, affordable healthcare and other rights. You may sign the petition HERE: https://www.unitehere11.org/cameo/.

SOCIAL JUSTICE IN OUR TEXTS: “STUDY BREAK” WITH LAASOK

Immigration. Climate change. Marriage equality. LGBTQ+ inclusion. Voting and civic engagement. Respect for fellow human beings.

What does Judaism teach us about creating a just society?

Each month, September through June, we will take a one-hour “study break” to learn about an aspect of social justice in Jewish texts. This series is being taught by a variety of wonderful teachers, and will meet on Monday afternoons (3pm ET / noon PT) throughout the year.

Organized by LAASOK, the liberal Beit MIdrash (“House of Study”). This program is co-sponsored by a number of organizations, including LAASOK, Keeping It Sacred, the Central Conference of American Rabbis, Dayenu: A Jewish Call to Climate Action, and Kirva. Register at laasok.org/current-offerings/#justice

LGBTQ+ JEWS OF COLOR IN JEWISH SPACES SURVEY

This survey is a pivotal step in gaining a better understanding of the unique lived experiences of LGBTQ+ Jews of Color within Jewish spaces.

Your input will inform the creation of initiatives, resources, and programs designed to enhance the lives of LGBTQ+ Jews of Color. Additionally, it will empower the broader Jewish community to become agents of change and better allies to the LGBTQ+ Jews of Color in the community.

Take the survey here.

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.

*NOTE FOR THE FUTURE: Due to Rosh Hashanah, our 10/3 Healing Circle and Talmud Study will be postponed until the following week (10/10). Please gather with us for Rosh Hashanah and all our High Holy Day programming. Information HERE.

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!

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

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. Brazil time/ 6:30pm London-time. Register for this program HERE.

9/22 CREATIVITY CLUB

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. REGISTER HERE.

9/23 SPIRITUAL GENTLENESS BOOK CLUB

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! We will be reviewing Here All Along by Sarah Hurwitz for our third meeting, with special guest Rabbi Heather Miller! REGISTER HERE.

9/26 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. 

9/26 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.   

9/27 SHABBAT OF APOLOGY

Join us September 27th for Shabbat of Apology, as it is the last Shabbat before the new year. It is a special time for reflection and spiritual repair. 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. Register HERE.

9/30 WRITING YOUR BOOK WITH ERIN SUMMERS NORMAN

Join us as beloved Keeping It Sacred member, Erin Summers Norman, shares about her experiences writing her memoir over the past 28 years.  She covers her life across two continents: learning that her father was adopted from a Jewish family, his service in Vietnam, and her journey back to Judaism through conversion under the auspices of our own Rabbi Miller. In the session, she will also reflect on her process of self-sharing—from her time of publishing her first draft with a publisher in 2015, to her reclaiming her story, and decision to self-publish her rework with the title of Samizdat (forthcoming). Samizdat is the Russian word for “self-publishing” and can be understood through the lens of social justice— with an emphasis on encouraging folks of all walks of life to tell their own story and not be discouraged— giving voice to the voiceless. Join us for this program of discovery and empowerment: Monday, Sept 30, 10am PT/1pm ET. REGISTER HERE!

10/2 HIGH HOLY DAY PROGRAMMING

Erev Rosh Hashanah Seder

6pm PT/9pm ET (60m) Celebrate the birth of the world by breaking bread together as one beautifully diverse human family. Please register for this program: HERE. 

10/3 HIGH HOLY DAY PROGRAMMING

Rosh Hashanah

10am PT/ 1pm ET (75 min) Celebrate the birth of the world in gathered community. Please register for this program: HERE. 

10/4 HIGH HOLY DAY PROGRAMMING

Second Day Rosh Hashanah

10am PT/1pm ET, we will celebrate the Second Day Rosh Hashanah. Gain the tools needed for spiritual growth with Kimberly Dueñas. REGISTER HERE.

10/6 CREATIVITY CLUB

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 at 9am PT|noon ET. REGISTER HERE.

10/6 HIGH HOLY DAY PROGRAMMING

Tashlich Service & Beach Hangout

11AM LIVE from the beach in California, join Rabbi Miller in person or via LIVESTREAM for a special Tashlich Service and KITS family hangout. Gather in community and start the year with spiritual renewal. Please register for this program: HERE.

10/7 REFLECTING ON OCTOBER 7 AND EVERYTHING AFTER TOGETHER

Join your Keeping It Sacred community to mourn the events of October 7 and the devastation that continues. Together, we will hold space for our grief and our pain and find ways to bravely whisper our hopes for the region.  Rabbi Miller will facilitate the sharing beginning at 9am PT/noon ET. REGISTER HERE!

10/10 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. 

10/10 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.   

 
10/11 HIGH HOLY DAY PROGRAMMING

Kol Nidrei/Erev Yom Kippur

7pm PT/10pm ET (75 min) Enter into the holiest day of the year with the soul-work of reflection and repair. For more information and to register, please visit: HERE.

10/12 HIGH HOLY DAY PROGRAMMING

Yom Kippur Day

10am PT/1pm ET (75 min) Focus on the texts, melodies and actions needed to rejuvenate the soul in community not bound by geographic limitations. For more information and to register, please visit: HERE.

10/12 HIGH HOLY DAY PROGRAMMING

Yom Kippur Yizkor Remembrances 

Noon PT/3pm ET (45 min) Gather in community to remember loved ones we have lost but hold dear in our hearts this and every year. For more information and to register, please visit: HERE.

10/12 HIGH HOLY DAY PROGRAMMING

Yom Kippur Ne'ilah & Break-the-Fast

5:45pm PT/8:45pm ET (60 min) Rejoice in the conclusion of the day. For more information and to register, please visit: HERE.

10/17 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. 

10/17 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.   

10/20 CREATIVITY CLUB

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 at 9am PT|noon ET. REGISTER HERE.

10/24 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. 

10/24 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.   

10/25 SIMCHAT TORAH SHABBAT

Join us for Shabbat — 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. Register HERE.

10/31 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. 

10/31 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.   

11/3 CREATIVITY CLUB

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 at 9am PT|noon ET. REGISTER HERE.

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!