One of my favorite teachings about the book of Esther is that God is not directly mentioned in the entire scroll-- not even once! The sages teach that this is by design to teach us that God is there even when it isn't obvious.

I bring this up because the next holiday coming up is that of Purim where we celebrate the saving of the Jewish people by a heroine known as Esther. 

(If you're not yet familiar with the story of Esther, prepare for 10 chapters of suspense and thrills which you can read HERE.) Reading the story, see if you can find hints of God's presence even if God's name is not specifically expressed. How might that relate to your own life?

During this first newsletter in the month of March 2022, this Women's History Month, we remember that those actors in history who aren't always named are no less important to the advancement of the people. Certainly cis-women and people who identify as nonbinary are often left out of the stories of victory, triumph, strength of character due to the pervasiveness of patriarchy. But their role in history, even though their efforts are not always recorded in the annals of history, are no less important.

This idea is expressed in the rabbis' teaching that the Torah was written with black fire on white fire-- that means what's not actually written in ink can be just as important as what is. There is fire and energy in both.

I'd like to invite you to join us beginning March 20 for our new Untold Stories of the Bible: A Workshop series that will train our eyes to see the white fire blazing through the black fire. We will focus on the parts of the biblical stories that are not explained and then imagine into those spaces. This is what the rabbis of old did through a literary technique known as midrash. We will read classical works of midrash and try our hand at writing our own. For instance: what DID Miriam feel as she was about to set foot onto the dry land in the midst of the parted Red Sea? What DID 

What do you think? Join us as we explore (more information below, and register HERE).

This month, and always, may we lift up not only what is in front of us, but also what is not there. 

Together, we’re #keepingitsacred…

Rabbi Heather Miller, 

Founder, Keeping It Sacred

UNTOLD STORIES OF THE BIBLE: A WORKSHOP

Have you ever wondered about the parts of the Bible that are not explained? So did the rabbis! And they filled in the gaps in the text with their own writing and understanding of what happened in a literary art form called midrash. Rabbi Miller will explain the concept and provide examples. Then, together, we will do a close read of selected texts to view gaps in the storylines, and write our own expositions based on our own life experience. Sundays March 20 through April 10 at 10:15am PT/1:15pm ET Register at: keepingitsacred.com/upcoming-1

IN-PERSON INTERFAITH PURIM ACTIVITY

The holiday of Purim includes not only fun costumes and a retelling of the Purim story, but also gifts to the poor known as mishloach manor. This year, Keeping It Sacred is joining the Interfaith Council of Greater Rancho Santa Margarita for an outdoor picnic and activity. We will get to know one another as we tie blankets to donate to families at the Children's Hospital. This event will take place March 20 at 3pm PT in person hosted on the campus of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Outdoor Picnic Tables. Please let Rabbi Miller know you plan to attend via email at rabbimiller@keepingitsacred.com. For those in our wide KITS community, please find and make plans to volunteer with some project doing good in your area. 

BALANCING YOUR INNER LIFE

This is the look you get when you have gelled as a group after having learned an 11th century Spanish Rabbinic text for 8 consecutive weeks.  These learners (and a few more) dutifully read sections of Duties of the Heart by Rabbi Bachya Ibn Pakuda until the entire work was completed. We journeyed on the path of discussing the unity of God, the importance of reflection, service, trust, devotion, humility, repentance, self-accounting, refrain, and love of God along with ideas about the yetzer ha-ra (evil inclination), the Jewish emphasis on intentionality, and Pakuda's own insistence that we remain awake and attuned to the blessings all around us (most obviously through observing creation).

Reading his work, was like following his curriculum for living a meaningful life and it was a true joy and pleasure to do that with this esteemed group who generously shared the most tender insights from their own life experiences.

Many thanks to all who participated-- and all who said that, true to the name of the class (Balancing Your Inner Life), each felt that their lives were more balanced at the end of the class! 

Don't miss our next Sunday morning learning series, Untold Stories of the Bible, beginning 3/20 at 10:15am. Register HERE.

SUPPORTING OUR FUTURE

If you have been looking for a way to show appreciation for the quality writing, webcasts, holiday celebrations and educational opportunities provided by Keeping It Sacred, we have news to share: thanks to those who have asked about supporting our work with a regularly scheduled monthly contribution, we are now set up to receive recurring contributions. Simply contact our Digital Marketing Manager, Molly Flanagan, who has done the research and is prepared to help anyone who is interested in setting up their Zelle account online (through their bank) to do so. You may simply contact her at mflanagan@keepingitsacred.com with 3 dates and times you're available and she will respond with one that works and a link to zoom. 

Your regularly scheduled contribution helps us plan our programming for the year ahead, and more importantly, helps power the accessible, relevant, and empowering programming we offer.

For additional opportunities to give, you may also check out keepingitsacred.com/our-future or contact Rabbi Miller directly at 818-312-8388 rabbimiller@keepingitsacred.com.

Many THANKS for your consideration!

Together, we're #keepingitsacred...

WEDDING PLANNING WORKSHOPS

Engagement Season is HERE! If you or someone you know recently got engaged or married and would enjoy a series of free Wedding Planning Workshops to help navigate the big day and beyond, please check out these free 30-minute workshops!

Sundays at 11:30am PT or Wednesdays at 7pm PT

1/9 & 1/19: Keeping Your Partner at the Center

1/16 & 1/26: Finding a Time & Place & Officiant for Your Wedding

1/23 & 2/2: Honoring Your Loved Ones in the Ceremony

1/30 & 2/9: Making Your Wedding Accessible

2/6 & 2/16: Ceremony Ritual Planning Workshop

2/13 & 2/23: Infusing a Sense of the Sacred into the Ceremony

2/20 & 3/2: Including Various Cultural Traditions

2/27 & 3/9: Jumping Into Life Ahead!

Registration is open now HERE: please share this resource with engaged couples you know and our wedding page at: keepingitsacred.com/weddings

PLUS: Here's a fun video sharing the parts of a Jewish wedding! HERE:

IN PERSON GATHERING FOR SHUSHAN PURIM

2:30pm PT Friday 3/18, join members of the Keeping It Sacred Community in Southern California as we welcome members Sheryl & David Aronson from Ohio to Laguna Niguel, CA. This happens to be Shushan Purim-- this is a holiday that is an extension of Purim-- and so we will delight in Hamantaschen, and of course mask up during this outdoor gathering. The whole family is welcome to this free event, with a play doh giveaway for anyone under 10 years old desiring it! 

AND, for those who can't make it in person, we will have a special zoom HELLO at 3pm PT/6pm ET. We hope you can join in the fun! Please RSVP for the virtual zoom address or in-person celebration street address to to Molly Flanagan at mflanagan@keepingitsacred.com

BAT MITZVAH AT 100

This photo above is of our esteemed Keeping It Sacred member, Laurie Brown, at her bat mitzvah. We share it here in honor of the centennial anniversary of the first public bat mitzvah ceremony in the US which first took place March 18, 1922!

In honor of this event, our Keeping It Sacred Shabbat Service in March will be dedicated to the topic of the bat mitzvah. Please share your reflections on the significance of your bar/bat/b'nai mitzvah, or the ceremony itself (including pictures!) with Rabbi Miller at rabbimiller@keepingitsacred.com and mark your calendar for 5:30pm PT/8:30pm ET Friday night March 25. Register HERE.

Also, for additional impactful programming around this anniversary, see the Jewish Women's Archive here: https://jwa.org/stories/batmitzvah-at-100.

ROSH CHODESH RACIAL JUSTICE REVIEW

Rosh Chodesh is the celebration of the new month. And over the next six months, our Rosh Chodesh Racial Justice Review series will take time to explore 12 Steps to Changing Yourself and the World: An Abolitionist’s Handbook by Patrisse Cullors. Each month, we will discuss two chapters of this work which will simultaneously address transforming our inner personal lives and also the institutional infrastructures of injustice around us. 3pm PT/6pm ET: 3/3, 4/2, 5/8, 5/31, 6/30 and 7/28 Register at: keepingitsacred.com/upcoming-1

HEALING CIRCLE & TALMUD TEXT STUDY EVERY THURSDAY

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/2pm ET.

Currently, we are 98 members strong from 27 different states and 8 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:

"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."

AND just prior to our Talmud Study, we hold space for check-ins and healing prayers for loved ones in need, including ourselves. 

Keeping It Sacred programs are free for all because we uphold the value of keruv/accessibility; voluntary financial contributions to help offset the cost of these programs are greatly appreciated.

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.

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.  

3/9 WEDDING PLANNING WORKSHOPS: Jumping Into Life Ahead

7pm PT/10pm ET You’re ready to plan a succinct but meaningful ceremony that feels authentic to your relationship and that also doesn’t alienate any of your guests. But where do you begin and how do you bring it all together?  Now is the time to take a breath as you look to plan the perfect wedding that launches your marriage into the best future possible. Register at: keepingitsacred.com/upcoming-1

3/18 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA MEETUP & VIRTUAL GATHERING

2:30pm Friday 3/18, join members of the Keeping It Sacred Community in Southern California as we welcome members Sheryl & David Aronson from Ohio to Laguna Niguel, CA. This happens to be Shushan Purim-- this is a holiday that is an extension of Purim-- and so we will delight in Hamantaschen, and of course mask up during this outdoor gathering. The whole family is welcome and free, with play doh for anyone under 10 years old desiring it! RSVP for address to Molly Flanagan at mflanagan@keepingitsacred.com

3/20 UNTOLD STORIES OF THE BIBLE

10:15am Sundays March 20-April 10 Have you ever wondered about the parts of the Bible that are not explained? So did the rabbis! And they filled in the gaps in the text with their own writing and understanding of what happened in a literary art form called midrash. Rabbi Miller will explain the concept and provide examples. Then, together, we will do a close read of selected texts to view gaps in the storylines, and write our own expositions based on our own life experience. Register at: keepingitsacred.com/upcoming-1

3/20 INTERFAITH PURIM SERVICE OPPORTUNITY

3-5pm PT locally and in person, KITS will join the Interfaith Council of Greater Rancho Santa Margarita outdoors. We will get to know one another as we tie blankets to donate to families at the Children's Hospital. This event will take place March 20 at 3pm PT in person hosted on the campus of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Outdoor Picnic Tables. Please let Rabbi Miller know you plan to attend via email at rabbimiller@keepingitsacred.com.

3/25 SHABBAT SERVICES

Friday night, 8/27 at 5:30pm PT/8:30pm ET, give yourself the gift of space to reflect and rejuvenate with monthly shabbat services. Rabbi Miller and Jeffrey Silverstein 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-1.

3/27 UNTOLD STORIES OF THE BIBLE

10:15am Sundays March 20-April 10 Have you ever wondered about the parts of the Bible that are not explained? So did the rabbis! And they filled in the gaps in the text with their own writing and understanding of what happened in a literary art form called midrash. Rabbi Miller will explain the concept and provide examples. Then, together, we will do a close read of selected texts to view gaps in the storylines, and write our own expositions based on our own life experience. Register at: keepingitsacred.com/upcoming-1

4/2 ROSH CHODESH RACIAL JUSTICE REVIEW

3pm PT/6pm ET, join Rabbi Miller for a discussion of Patrisse Cullors' latest book, 12 Steps to Changing Yourself and the World: An Abolitionist’s Handbook. Explore how to transform yourself and the world around you amidst thoughtful, committed, tender-hearted community members. All are welcome. Register at: keepingitsacred.com/upcoming-1.

4/3 UNTOLD STORIES OF THE BIBLE

10:15am Sundays March 20-April 10 Have you ever wondered about the parts of the Bible that are not explained? So did the rabbis! And they filled in the gaps in the text with their own writing and understanding of what happened in a literary art form called midrash. Rabbi Miller will explain the concept and provide examples. Then, together, we will do a close read of selected texts to view gaps in the storylines, and write our own expositions based on our own life experience. Register at: keepingitsacred.com/upcoming-1

4/10 UNTOLD STORIES OF THE BIBLE

10:15am Sundays March 20-April 10 Have you ever wondered about the parts of the Bible that are not explained? So did the rabbis! And they filled in the gaps in the text with their own writing and understanding of what happened in a literary art form called midrash. Rabbi Miller will explain the concept and provide examples. Then, together, we will do a close read of selected texts to view gaps in the storylines, and write our own expositions based on our own life experience. Register at: keepingitsacred.com/upcoming-1

4/29 SHABBAT SERVICES

Friday night, 8/27 at 5:30pm PT/8:30pm ET, give yourself the gift of space to reflect and rejuvenate with monthly shabbat services. Rabbi Miller and Jeffrey Silverstein 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-1.

5/8 ROSH CHODESH RACIAL JUSTICE REVIEW

3pm PT/6pm ET, join Rabbi Miller for a discussion of Patrisse Cullors' latest book, 12 Steps to Changing Yourself and the World: An Abolitionist’s Handbook. Explore how to transform yourself and the world around you amidst thoughtful, committed, tender-hearted community members. All are welcome. Register at: keepingitsacred.com/upcoming-1.

5/27 SHABBAT SERVICES

Friday night, 5/27 at 5:30pm PT/8:30pm ET, give yourself the gift of space to reflect and rejuvenate with monthly shabbat services. Rabbi Miller and Jeffrey Silverstein 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-1.

6/24 SHABBAT SERVICES

Friday night, 6/24 at 5:30pm PT/8:30pm ET, give yourself the gift of space to reflect and rejuvenate with monthly shabbat services. Rabbi Miller and Jeffrey Silverstein 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-1.

6/30 ROSH CHODESH RACIAL JUSTICE REVIEW

3pm PT/6pm ET, join Rabbi Miller for a discussion of Patrisse Cullors' latest book, 12 Steps to Changing Yourself and the World: An Abolitionist’s Handbook. Explore how to transform yourself and the world around you amidst thoughtful, committed, tender-hearted community members. All are welcome. Register at: keepingitsacred.com/upcoming-1.

7/28 ROSH CHODESH RACIAL JUSTICE REVIEW

3pm PT/6pm ET, join Rabbi Miller for a discussion of Patrisse Cullors' latest book, 12 Steps to Changing Yourself and the World: An Abolitionist’s Handbook. Explore how to transform yourself and the world around you amidst thoughtful, committed, tender-hearted community members. All are welcome. Register at: keepingitsacred.com/upcoming-1.

7/29 SHABBAT SERVICES

Friday night, 7/29 at 5:30pm PT/8:30pm ET, give yourself the gift of space to reflect and rejuvenate with monthly shabbat services. Rabbi Miller and Jeffrey Silverstein 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-1.

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...

GIFTS TO KEEPING IT SACRED

All of us at Keeping It Sacred would like to extend a sincere THANK YOU to each and every person who has extended a financial gift to the KITS community this past year. You power the work and ensure that quality relevant & empowering programming and resources remain accessible for all regardless of economic capacity. 

If you like what we're doing and would like to make a meaningful gift in this new year of any amount, please visit our contributions page at:

keepingitsacred.com/our-future

Thank you for #keepingitsacred...

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