All across Los Angeles this summer, workers went on strike. Hotel workers, screen actors, script writers, UPS drivers, sanitation workers, lifeguards, and others took a stand against unfair labor practices. The cost of living has become much higher than the minimum wage, leaving folks with no choice but to strike.

I have spent countless hours at labor strikes over the year, and this summer felt different. It felt like a groundswell of workers were willing to take a stand this year.

People have been paying attention to two gaps:

1) the large gap that exists between what would be a living wage ($39.31/hr. in Los Angeles) and the minimum wage (for a worker at LAX that's $18.04/hr.); that's less than half the living wage. That is so low, that some employees have to live 2-3 hours outside of the city and away from their jobs just to make ends meet; and

2) the large gap that exists between the top paid worker and the lowest paid worker of many corporation (according to the Institute for Policy Studies, the worst case of this is how LIVE Nation's CEO, Michael Rapino took in $130M in 2022 while the median worker was paid just $25,673. That means he was paid 5,414 times more than his median worker.

Something is really wrong when your worker has to work over 5,414 years to earn what you earned in just one year. Think about how long that is and remember according to Jewish folklore, the world itself is only 5,783 years old! The system is really really broken.

There needs to be a conversation in the public square about what is fair for a CEO to make versus their median worker. Would we say that a CEO can make 10 times as much, or 20 times as much? Maybe. But over 5,000 times as much indicates a gross exploitation where workers are not enjoying the fruits of their labor fairly.

Leviticus 19:35 reminds us that we shall not sin in judgments of weights and measures and in capacities. The Italian Rabbi Obadiah ben Jacob Sforno, writing in the 1500s shared that this means that this wrongdoing is referring to wrongdoing with money.

How we use money, how we place value says a lot about our values. Especially when we apply great importance to some over others.

This is exactly what we have here. A lightening of the importance of the average worker, and a hefty sense of the importance of the work of the CEO. This throws everything off balance. Many people can't put food on the table and some have $50M homes.

Did you know that 81 people own half of the world's wealth? That's an infinitesimally small humber of people in charge of half of the world's wealth. So small, in fact, that all 81 of them could fit on ONE double decker bus.

So, how can we realign our values as a society? How can we honor the workers to ensure that people have a living wage? These are the questions we ask today.

This is how we are Keeping It Sacred.

Together, we're #keepingitsacred...

Rabbi Heather Miller

Founder, Keeping It Sacred

BALANCING YOUR INNER LIFE: DUTIES OF THE HEART

TODAY IS THE LAST CLASS! Jewish tradition houses some of the most beautiful teachings on character qualities. A thousand years ago, Rabbi Bachya Ibn Pakuda decided to bring these sacred texts together, organized into various character qualities that he felt would inspire people to live lives of meaning. He called his work “Duties of the Heart,” and it is the work upon which the Mussar Movement (of Exceptional Character Qualities) is based. The book is available for free on Sefaria.org, and so we will take time each week to study teachings and explore how we might make sense of them in our lives today. 

Join us for one class, several, or all the weeks worth of classes! Please invite your friends to take the series with you, too!

Labor Day, September 4: FINAL class: Love of God

These classes will be held Monday at 9am PT/noon ET.

Topics have included : Unity, Reflection, Service,Trust, Devotion, Humility, Repentance, Self Accounting, Abstinence, and Love. Register here: keepingitsacred.com/upcoming

60th ANNIVERSARY OF THE MARCH ON WASHINGTON

Monday, August 28, 2023 was the 60th anniversary of the March On Washington. It was a pivotal gathering in the course of the Civil Rights movement. And Rabbi Miller gathered as a representative of the Keeping It Sacred community to support the continuation of the work for equality. The event was put on the by the Southern California chapter of the SCLC— the organization founded by Dr. King himself. The Rev. Jim Lawson, an architect of the movement and dear friend of Dr. King attended and spoke of his time at the demonstration and in the days since. Joan Patsy Ostroy also shared of her time there. Leaders from the Muslim, Asian, and Latinx communities also shared reflections on the impact of the movement in the event hosted by the Black church, Holman United Methodist Church in Los Angeles. Here are Rabbi Miller’s remarks from that gathering with photo (above) of Rabbi Miller with Rev. Jim Lawson:

So much is written of the bond between The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel. The Selma, Alabama photo where they marched arm in arm across the Edmund Pettus bridge, headed to face- head-on an armed, menacing crowd of badged and unofficially sanctioned bigots has inspired so many.

The photo (1) is a snapshot of their commitment to the moral position we affirm today: that of racial equality, justice, freedom, and humanity.

Jewishly, we understand the image in the Talmud that states our shared Creator lovingly stamps each one of us with the seal of the first human, Adam, and intended each of us to be beautifully different, but no less equal. Perhaps Rabbi Heschel was meditating on these words as he was praying with his feet, arm in arm with Dr. King.

But Dr. King had allies in many more rabbis standing with him and the Black community in this moral position all over the country.

In fact, June 18, 1964, was the date of the largest mass arrest of rabbis in U.S. history. They were detained for their position on desegregation in St. Augustine, Florida. 17 white rabbis participated in a prayer vigil and demonstration, where Black and white demonstrators jumped into a private hotel’s “white only” pool. Demonstrating how desegregation is done. Reports of an absurd scene followed. Police officers jumped in after them to wearing everything but their shoes (2) to place them under arrest, and when that didn’t work, the hotel’s bigoted owner poured acid into the waters to get them out.

From jail the rabbis wrote a paper called “Why We Went” outlining their moral commitment to not stand idly by the blood of their brothers. They wrote: “We came because we realized that injustice in St. Augustine, as anywhere else, diminishes the humanity of each of us.” (3)

Today, we celebrate the 60th anniversary of the iconic March on Washington. And no surprise, a rabbi committed to the Civil

Rights movement ascended the podium immediately before The Rev. Dr. King himself.

Rabbi Joachim Prinz stood before the 250,000 gathered, as someone who served as Rabbi of the Jewish community in Berlin under the Hitler

regime. He shared his understanding, that “the most urgent and most disgraceful, the most shameful and the most tragic problem is silence.” (4)

And here he called out the ones who remain silent in the face of hate, in the face of brutality, and in the face of mass murder.

It is not enough to hope together and it is not enough to pray together.  He called on each person present to work together.

60 years later, we gather here today to affirm that kind of solidarity. We affirm that we are responsible to and for one another. We commit to showing up for one another, strategizing and organizing with one another.

Facing state-sanctioned and hate filled mobs, as in Selma, or Pasadena, or before bigoted businesses, as in Florida, or Orange County. Whether before beloved supporters, as in our Nation’s Capital, or right here in Los Angeles, we commit to standing together before the Police Commission, and City Hall, and The Police Protection League. Marching down Hollywood Boulevard, and Broadway Downtown together. We organize together at Holman United Methodist Church, McCarty’s Memorial Church, at CLUE, at Temple Israel of Hollywood, at Creating Justice LA, and on Zoom!

We are in it. We are there. Our moral convictions clear as ever.

60 years later, we still understand that our fate is tied up in one another’s. Our destinies are intertwined.

And we know the impact of our actions to bring reality to God’s blessing: 

Baruch Ata Adonai Eloheynu Melech HaOlam, Matir Asurim—

Blessed are You Adonai Our God, Ruler of the Universe, who frees the oppressed!

Amen.

ORDER RESOULUTIONS: A PRACTICAL GUIDE FOR SELF-REPAIR

It's that time again! If you're looking for a book to guide you through the self-reflective work of the soul preceding the High Holy Days, look no further! Our Rabbi Miller wrote RE(SOUL)UTIONS: A Practical Guide for Self-Repair (2019) to invite the reader into a process of self-reflection for the sake of personal improvement and empowerment. Rabbi Heather Miller draws from thousands of years of Jewish traditional texts, infusing them with relevance and practical meaning to Jewish and non-Jewish readers today. Her writing is warm, accessible, and meaningful. It is available in paperback and e-book formats! PURCHASE ON AMAZON HERE. And see more at: keepingitsacred.com/the-book. Elul begins Friday, so for many, if you order it today, it will be here in time for you to follow along each day.

AND be sure to follow along with daily posts related to each day of the month of Elul posted on our instagram page at: instagram.com/keepingitsacred Enjoy!

GRATEFUL & CONNECTED HIGH HOLY DAY PROGRAMMING

Those of us in the Northern Hemisphere are halfway through the summer— and that means one thing— The High Holy Days are coming! This season, we at Keeping It Sacred will bring you a beautifully thought through series of services to to bring us all into the New Year of 5784— Grateful and Connected: High Holy Day Program.

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 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, a Morning Rosh Hashanah Service, a Kol Nidrei Service, a Yom Kippur morning service, Yizkor, and Neilah services. There will also be a hybrid in-person & online Tashlich service (with an opportunity for Southern Californians to gather for Tashlich on the beach).

As always, services are 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. Registration is now open at keepingitsacred.com/upcoming

GRATEFUL AND CONNECTED: HIGH HOLY DAYS WITH KITS

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

A BIT ABOUT…THE HIGH HOLIDAYS

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 at 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 co-lead this season's worship experiences with Rachel."

THE BIRTHDAY OF THE WORLD

Rosh Hashanah is considered the birthday of the world. A great exercise for those with kids: share all that you notice about the beautiful diversity of the world around. Talk about Jewish tradition celebrating that on Rosh Hashanah, and ask them to decorate a birthday cake with all the creations that they are grateful for. You might be surprised by what they reveal! (Above was composed by a 6 year old's member of our community)

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 first session was wonderful with the leadership of Sheryl Aronson and Wendy Stiver. The next gathering will be Sunday, September 10th.

And as always, 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: https://www.keepingitsacred.com/upcoming

ROSH CHODESH RACIAL JUSTICE BOOK REVIEW

September 13th at 9am PT | 12pm ET: For the following two weeks, the Rosh Chodesh Racial Justice Book Review group will explore chapters from California Task Force to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans INTERIM REPORT, linked here:  https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/media/ab3121-reparations-interim-report-2022.pdf

This session will cover Chapter 10: Stolen Labor

No experience necessary. All are welcome! Sign up here.

MONTHLY 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. Our next gathering will be September 29th!

Please register at keepingitsacred.com/upcoming, and email rabbimiller@keepingitsacred.com if you would like to attend in person.

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 at at least 38 states and 12 countries across 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 and of these gatherings, 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.

FAMILY EDUCATION PROGRAM

IT IS HERE! MOMENTUM: A KITS Family Education offering! Check out our website Family Education page (keepingitsacred.com/family-education) to learn more about the design of this special program that is both personalized and communal, affirms the interests and development of every student, and motivates the work through game theory. We couldn't be more excited about sharing more!

MOMENTUM: A KITS Family Education is a Jewish educational offering for the whole family that:

• Empowers parents

• Considers who your kid is uniquely

• Integrates into your family’s life organically

• Provides content and questions to explore

• Develops a meaningful relationship with the Jewish textual tradition 

• Instills values and encourages critical thinking

• Motivates learning through celebration, and

• Fosters community

   

We will share more with anyone interested in attending an information session. To attend, please email Rabbi Miller at rabbimiller@keepingitsacred.com several times and dates that work for you and she will send along a zoom link. This signature program is for anyone in the LA region or beyond, anyone with kids or without.

SIYYUM TRACTATE KIDDUSHIN

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! Join us for a Half-Hour Siyyum Tractate Gattin Event on Thursday, November 9th at 12PM PT | 3PM ET. Register 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!

PLEASE CONSIDER SUPPORTING OUR WORK

We need your help. This community runs entirely on contributions by those who love our work. People like you!

If you value what we bring into the world, please consider a financial contribution to help us cover our costs and build our community in the future.

Your generous support helps Keeping It Sacred: 

• Unlock access to learning the wisdom of ancient texts 

• Create authentic, empowered community

• Reach out to our interfaith neighbors and friends

• Create a courageous community that effects positive social change
   

Visit our web page keepingitsacred.com/our-future to say YES to helping us build this very special community. We are so grateful for your commitment and generosity!

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

9/4 BALANCING YOUR INNER LIFE: DUTIES OF THE HEART

Jewish tradition houses some of the most beautiful teachings on character qualities. A thousand years ago, Rabbi Bachya Ibn Pakuda decided to these sacred texts together, organized into various character qualities that he felt would inspire people to live lives of meaning. He called his work “Duties of the Heart,” and it is the work upon which the Mussar Movement (of Exceptional Character Qualities) is based.

Ten classes begin June 12 and continue weekly throughout the summer Mondays at 9am PT/noon ET. Register here: keepingitsacred.com/upcoming

9/8 HIGH HOLY DAY PROGRAMMING

Spiritual Preparation for the New Year

9am PT/12pm ET Another year in the books, what does this mean for us? How can preparing for Rosh HaShanah support our lives in the new year? Join Kimberly Duenas of Jewtina y Co. as she leads us in a special pre-high holiday session with mindful reflection and intention setting our next trip. Register for the program HERE.

9/10 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 first session was wonderful with the leadership of Sheryl Aronson and Wendy Stiver. Register at: keepingitsacred.com/upcoming.

9/13 ROSH CHODESH RACIAL JUSTICE BOOK REVIEW

The Rosh Chodesh Racial Justice Book Review group will explore California Task Force to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans INTERIM REPORT. This is our way of ending each month with a new vision of racial justice. This session is led by Wendy Stiver & Corinne Boodoo and will cover Chapter 10: Stolen Labor. Register at: keepingitsacred.com/upcoming.

9/14 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. 

9/14 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.  

9/15 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. 

9/16 HIGH HOLY DAY PROGRAMMING

Rosh Hashanah

10am PT/ 1pm ET(90 min) Celebrate the birth of the world in gathered community. Please register for this program: HERE. 

9/17 HIGH HOLY DAY PROGRAMMING

Youth Service, Tashlich, Shabbat Services

1pm PT/4pm ET LIVE from the beach in California, join Rabbi Miller in person or via LIVESTREAM for a special Youth-oriented High Holy Day service, followed by Tashlich leading into Shabbat Services. Gather in community and sing, pray, dance, schmooze. Start the year with spiritual renewal. For more information and to register, please visit: keepingitsacred.com/upcoming.

9/21 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. 

9/21 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.  

9/24 HIGH HOLY DAY PROGRAMMING

Kol Nidrei/Erev Yom Kippur

5pm PT/8pm ET (90 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: keepingitsacred.com/upcoming-1.

9/25 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: keepingitsacred.com/upcoming.

9/25 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: keepingitsacred.com/upcoming.

9/25 HIGH HOLY DAY PROGRAMMING

Yom Kippur Ne'ilah & Virtual Break-the-Fast

6pm PT/9pm ET (60 min) Rejoice in the conclusion of the day. For more information and to register, please visit: keepingitsacred.com/upcoming.

9/28 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. 

9/28 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.  

9/29 SHABBAT SERVICES

Sing, eat, gather in community at 5:30pm PT/8:30pm ET, give yourself the gift of space to reflect and rejuvenate with monthly shabbat services. Rabbi Miller and Max Winer will lead the community with Jewish thought and sacred song. Together, we will lift up anniversaries, birthdays, and honor remembrances of our loved ones. This program runs the last Friday night of every month. Please email Rabbi Miller your important dates so we know when to honor your sacred times (birthdays, anniversaries, remembrances) at rabbimiller@keepingitsacred.com. And please register here: keepingitsacred.com/upcoming.

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!