Newsletter February 13, 2022 Together, we're #keepingitsacred... |
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“To have the most positive impact on children, fathers literally just have to be in the room.” This finding from a study was recently shared with me by a father who happens to be a teacher. He is great. and quickly followed up with citations about how much praise he would get simply by taking his kids to the store, as if he were some hero for parenting, and decidedly NOT in the same way a mom might be received at a store with children. Parental expectations that differ based on gender of the parent exist and are extremely problematic. But what I want to pull out form the study is this fascinating idea that showing up for our loved ones is among the best ways to make a positive impact in their lives, regardless of gender. It is among the best ways to show love. When relationships are strongest, we show up for one another. We answer the call to be there. In the Torah, that responsive presence is encapsulated in the word, “hineini,” which means, “here I am.” But not, “here!,” like a grade school kid might answer a roll call. Rather, “here I am, ready to respond to the fullness of who you are and what you need with the fullness of who I am and what I have to give.” It is a kind of sacred answer to the call for presence. In fact, “hineini" is how both Abraham and Moses, two of the most iconic figures in the Torah, replied to God when they were called to service. This term defined their covenantal relationship with God. One of seriousness and responsiveness. One of presence. In life, when someone is absent from a big moment in your life, you feel it. In those moments bonds are broken. But when people show up for you with a meaningful phone or FaceTime call, or show up for lunch or on your doorstep, bonds have the chance to be strengthened. I know a person who was once in the position of caring for her post-surgical partner and felt alone trying to keep her partner out of pain an on the path to wellness. She said one of the best acts of loving support she received came in the form of receiving a fresh pizza delivered to her doorstep, ordered by a friend from across the country. Showing up. Showing care. Even remotely. This is the Jewish way to show love. There are a few steps to knowing how to properly activate the spiritual responsiveness of the act of saying, “hineini/ here I am.” First, check in on your own feelings about the situation. Is it an explicit request or is there something you identify you can do for the other person? Are you able to show up? Or do you not have enough gas in your tank to show up (literally or spiritually speaking)? You must be willing and able to set boundaries — you can still show up in ways that maintain your limits. Sometimes a nice handwritten note can be better than a $100 flower arrangement. Second, showing up should always place the receiver at the center. Meaning, the giver has to know what would actually make a difference to them, how they would like it to be given, and at what magnitude. This means that if a person wants a pizza, send them a pizza, don't send them prime rib— especially if they are vegetarian! Third, don’t discount the benefit of simply being a presence. In chaplaincy, we learned this as the concept of being the “non-anxious presence.” Be okay to just be in the room and to help witness whatever the person is going through, be it a challenge or victory. That is a sacred act. So, this Valentine’s day, find a way to show love by saying, “hineini.” And may it be received well! Together, we're #keepingitsacred…
Rabbi Heather Miller
Founder, Keeping It Sacred |
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TODAY! Please join us for the Melanie Grohman z"l Access Judaism session 2 classes! This program features a broad spectrum of thoughtfully curated Jewish subjects in the realms of history, rituals, culture, philosophy, law, and spirituality. These interactive classes, which include post-class reflection questions, can also count towards requirements of conversion or adult b'nai mitzvah ceremonies. (Think of it like a Judaism 201 type program for those who have already taken a 101 program or are already familiar with the basics of Jewish life). Classes are open to students entering with a diversity of backgrounds. There is no prerequisite for the class-- start with Session 2 if these classes appeal to you! This course is taught over Zoom in two sessions of 8 classes each. The classes are flexible and are designed so that a person can choose to take one class, several, a whole session, or both sessions. Suggested donation for one class is $25, one session is $180 and the full program is $300. No one will be turned away for lack of funds. Access Judaism SESSION 2: 1/9 The Intelligent Design of the Prayer Service
1/23 Reform Renovations of the Prayerbook (REGISTER HERE)
1/30 Rituals as Markers of Transition (REGISTER HERE)
2/6 The Characteristics of a Good Jew (REGISTER HERE)
2/13 Slam Poetry in the Golden Age (REGISTER HERE) 2/27 Bad Theology: Terrible Explanations of Why The Righteous Suffer (REGISTER HERE) 3/6 Siblings or Cousins?: Jews and Christians in the First Century (REGISTER HERE) 3/13 Before You Die, Consider These Rabbinic Thoughts (REGISTER HERE)
SAVE THE DATES and then, register HERE for one or all classes designed to give you greater Access to Judaism.
*This series is named after our beloved Keeping It Sacred community member, the late Melanie Grohman, may her memory be for a blessing, who loved learning about Judaism and our community. Her memory is a blessing.
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HEBREW UNION COLLEGE SPOTLIGHT |
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HUC-JIR spotlights the work of OUR Rabbi Heather Miller! Justice is clearly core to her being and core to her rabbinate as it is core to Jewish values. Read more about it HERE. |
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ROSH CHODESH RACIAL JUSTICE BOOK REVIEW |
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The Rosh Chodesh Racial Justice Book Review group will explore another in our select collection of psalms and their messages about racial justice. This is our way of starting each month with a new vision of racial justice. Register at: keepingitsacred.com/upcoming |
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CCAR BOOK: PROPHETIC VOICES OUT NOW! |
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It is finally here! Prophetic Voices from the CCAR Press. Proud to have two entries in here and looking forward to digging in and finding commentaries from other esteemed colleagues! Kol hakavod to everyone involved with this project of renewal! |
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The Central Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR Press) has published a book called Prophetic Voices. It helps readers renew and reimagine (and reconnect!) with the Haftarah readings of the liturgical cycle. Rabbi Miller has entries in the book and we are very excited to announce that it is now available! Buy the new book here now! Excerpts from this book will be the new material for our Rosh Chodesh Racial Justice Book Review. Join the CCAR book launch on Tuesday, March 14, at 7:30 PM ET. The event is free and open to the public. Register here: https://ccar.co/pv-launch |
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SHABBAT SERVICES: THE LAST FRIDAY NIGHT OF EVERY MONTH |
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NOW IN-PERSON (in LOS ANGELES) AND ONLINE!
EVERY LAST Friday night of the month, 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 the last Friday of every month. Together, we will lift up anniversaries, birthdays, and honor remembrances of our loved ones. 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. And, please mark your calendars for 5:30pm PT/8:30pm ET and every LAST FRIDAY NIGHT of the month. Then, PLEASE register to join us HERE. Address provided upon RSVP. |
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REPRO SHABBAT TEXT STUDY ON REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS |
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Keeping It Sacred has partnered with Beth Chayim Chadashim— the world’s first LGBT Founded Jewish Congregation and their kids program --to bring to our community a unique in person (in Los Angeles) Purim experience. Essentially it is an act of service, tying blankets to deliver to the LA LGBT Center’s youth homelessness and transitional services program. And along the way Purim characters will “visit” us in costume and in character. It should be lots of fun with lots of hamantaschen! Megillah & Mitzvah: A New Purim Experience Sunday, March 5, at 4 pm PT. SIGN UP HERE through Beth Chayim Chadashim. |
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HEALING CIRCLE & TALMUD TEXT STUDY EVERY THURSDAY |
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THIS THURSDAY AND 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 100 members strong from 36 different states and 11 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. Also, this past week, our own Sue Parker Gerson's article on Nazir 7 and Rabbi Miller's article on Nazir 8, was published by the Daily Dose of Talmud. |
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REFORM JUDAISM HEBREW CLASSES |
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Sign up for Hebrew Classes with Reform Judaism here! The Keeping It Sacred community (KITS) is now part of the URJ and the URJ offers two online Hebrew courses: Learn to Read Hebrew for Adults, an online ten-session course. Learn the shapes and sounds of the Hebrew alphabet, with a warm and supportive educator to guide you.
Reading Hebrew Prayers, an online six-session course for those who can slowly sound out Hebrew words. Gain comfort and fluency reading Shabbat prayers in Hebrew.
Thought you'd want to know about the opportunity! |
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LET'S CONNECT ON SOCIAL MEDIA |
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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! |
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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. ACCESS JUDAISM 2/13 at noon PT/3pm ET join us as we discuss: 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. Register here: keepingitsacred.com/upcoming. 2/16 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. 2/16 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. 2/23 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. 2/23 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. 2/24 REPRO SHABBAT: TEXT STUDY Save the Date! February 24 at 4pm PT/ 7pm ET, Keeping It Sacred joins dozens of communities around the US for a discussion on the intersection between Jewish values and Reproductive rights. Come explore what the sages had to say about the start of life, protecting the health of the pregnant person, and more. Registration will be at: keepingitsacred.com/upcoming-1. 2/24 SHABBAT SERVICES Friday night, 12/30 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. ACCESS JUDAISM 2/27 at noon PT/3pm ET join us as we discuss: Bad Theology. 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. Register here: keepingitsacred.com/upcoming. MITZVAH & MEGILLAH: A NEW PURIM EXPERIENCE 2/5 at 4pm PT Keeping It Sacred is partnering with Beth Chayim Chadashim— the world’s first LGBT Founded Jewish Congregation and their kids program --to bring to our community a unique in person (in Los Angeles) Purim experience. Essentially it is an act of service, tying blankets to deliver to the LA LGBT Center’s youth homelessness and transitional services program. And along the way Purim characters will “visit” us in costume and in character. It should be lots of fun with lots of hamantaschen! Megillah & Mitzvah: A New Purim Experience Sunday, March 5, at 4 pm PT. SIGN UP HERE through Beth Chayim Chadashim. ACCESS JUDAISM 3/6 at noon PT/3pm ET join us as we discuss: 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! Register here: keepingitsacred.com/upcoming. ACCESS JUDAISM 3/13 at noon PT/3pm ET join us as we discuss: 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. 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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