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.
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!
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...
