SHALOM!

This is the season for making amends. For righting our wrongs. It is also the season of forgiveness. Have you ever noticed that sometimes accepting an apology can be harder than asking for one? 

An example someone recently wrote to me (reprinted with permission):

"What do you do when a friend who actually hurt you (pretty deeply) sends you an email with a generic, 'I apologize if I unintentionally hurt you in the past year.' I don't have the emotional bandwidth to actually work through things with her, and never would have brought anything up (at least not yet). But then it feels wrong during Elul to brush someone off when they're ostensibly apologizing. But if she doesn't even know what she's apologizing for, does it even count?"

Whew. This is such a tough question because there isn't much safety in the prompt. I mean, on the surface, there is an ask for an apology. But really, there isn't a whole lot of invitation to earnestly discuss. It might be read as a declaration that the person didn't intentionally cause hurt, rather than a true apology. But really, what would have been more fitting would be a willingness to have a conversation about how one's actions affected another. So, here is some text that the person might want to employ as a response. 

"Hey x, Thank you for writing. I, too, value the principle of searching out our deeds and apologizing. Especially during this season of Elul and all. I, too, am being very reflective about my actions and try to ask for forgiveness and be forgiven. 

And I get that there are things that we are aware that we did and things that we are unaware of what we did and did unintentionally. 

The truth is, I am hurt. But because the community was involved, I don’t have the vantage point to know how you specifically hurt me, and if so, whether it was an active offense, neglect, or if things just kind of snowballed out of control beyond your power. I know that a real reconciliation can only occur if we both engage in some deep exploration of how things transpired, and what the consequences of those actions were. Honestly, I’m not sure I have the emotional bandwidth to revisit this the events last year in this kind of depth. I think I’d need from you an indication of true willingness to investigate together. 

I did appreciate our friendship before and I miss the ease of interacting with you. But what I guess I am asking is how safe would a conversation about what transpired this past year be? How willing would you be/what might your approach be if we were to have an open and honest conversation about our friendship in the past year? I think somewhere in there is a first step to repair.'"

May we each help one another with the language to make amends this year. And though this, may we each help to create a sweet & sacred new year for ourselves and others.

Together, we're #keepingitsacred...

Rabbi Heather Miller, 

Founder, Keeping It Sacred

A SWEET & SACRED SEASON

JOIN US for our Sweet and Sacred Season!

This year is different from all other years. But, we at Keeping It Sacred are dedicated to lifting up the essence of the High Holy Day Season: Sweetness and Sacredness. Join us for intentional programming rooted in the wisdom of Jewish tradition. All programs are designed by Rabbi Miller to be accessible, relevant and empowering. Explore the programming HERE. 

Rabbi Heather Miller and Rabbi Rachel Schmelkin will co-lead our Sweet and Sacred Season Services for the High Holy Days with soul-stirring teachings and melodies.

Please sign up to join us for our Sweet & Sacred Season by clicking HERE: 

Exciting NEW and UPCOMING YouTube Content from Keeping It Sacred!

Looking for accessible, relevant and empowering sacred content?

Introducing TWO new web series from Keeping It Sacred.

Are you looking to clear out the negativity of the past year and realign with purpose? 

Spiritual Care and Self Repair: A special 5-part mini-series meant to guide viewers in a process of personal spiritual self-repair. This series is based on Rabbi Miller's book Re(soul)unions: A Practical Guide for Self-Repair available HERE. The universe is rooting for you! New episodes airing Thursdays.

Join Rabbi Miller and seven thoughtful friends for intelligent, joyful conversations about personal spiritual narratives in the new web series: People Keeping It Sacred. Topics include: Queer Religiosity, Mental Health and COVID, Jews of Color Today, Effecting Legislative Change, Honoring Ancestors, and more!

BOTH web series are available on the Keeping It Sacred YouTube Channel 

found HERE.

Please be sure to like, comment, and subscribe.

EREV ROSH HASHANAH INTERFAITH EXPLORATION OF CREATION 

Join Rabbi Miller for a truly universal celebration of creation with friends from various traditions. We will reflect upon the power of creation and the season where we re-create ourselves anew. This year we will usher in 5781 with gratitude for the diversity of the world around us. Bring your dinner and your shofar and your best hopes for the new year. Join us as we express gratitude for our lives on this planet together by registering HERE. 

TALMUD TEXT STUDY!

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. 

Check out @keepingitsacred on Instagram every day, and join the discussion group every Thursday. To participate, send Rabbi Miller an email.

PLUS: Our Elul count continues every day on Instagram @HeaRabbi. 

RE(SOUL)UTIONS: A PRACTICAL GUIDE FOR SELF-REPAIR

In the month of Elul, leading up to the Days of Awe, Jewish tradition encourages every individual to prepare with deep introspective work. But how are we to take an accounting of our past year in order to clear out energy of the past year to make room for the new? Rabbi Miller has compiled and organized Jewish textual inspirations for each of the 29 days of the month of Elul in her e-book, Re(Soul)utions: A Practical Guide for Self-Repair, available here.

"As a rabbi, I'm always looking for new ways to reinterpret the power of the month of Elul. As we head toward the High Holy Days and the theme of starting fresh with a clean slate, a guided text like ReSOULutions is perfect for starting the conversation. This text is clearly written, beautifully arranged, and thoughtfully presented in a way that allows the reader - at any level of knowledge or experience - to connect with their inner soul, and with their personal mission to improve their life. Highly recommend!"

-Rabbi Jeffrey Astrachan

"Having spent much of my professional life serving as a congregational cantor, I always gravitate toward opportunities to get my spiritual “batteries” recharged as preparation for the High Holy Days. I found RE(SOUL)UTIONS: A PRACTICAL GUIDE FOR SELF REPAIR, by Rabbi Heather Miller to be an important, exceedingly rich guide, written thoughtfully and accessibly, filled with true soul enrichment. This is a perfect way to enter the month of Elul, with an excellent step by step, day by day guide with delectable soul food along with daily new details to stimulate our intellect. A new MUST for the High Holy Days, and/or year round. Will join the ranks of seasonal Jewish classics!"

-Cantor Shula Kalir-Merton

Click here to purchase for just $8.99!

TORAH OF THE WEEK:

Happy new week! The reflection called "Relational Webs," on this week's Torah Portion on Parashat Nitzavim-Vayeilech, Deuteronomy 29:9 - 31:30, can be found HERE:

HIGH HOLY DAY RESOURCES FOR OUR YOUNGEST MEMBERS:

Fun-to-try recipes:

Find a recipe to make something this weekend with honey or apples or anything yummy! HERE is one for honey cake.

Did you ever make applesauce at home? HERE's one recipe to try or find one of your own.

For older kids:

This week’s Torah portion is called Nitzavim from the book of Deuteronomy. It is one of the places in the Torah that mentions the High Holidays. This Torah portion is also read on the morning of Yom Kippur. Listen to this RAP VERSION of the portion: [2-minute video] HERE.

SHABBAT SINGALONG:

The NEXT Shabbat Singalong program for kids (and kids at heart) will be 10/17 at 9am! Join Rabbi Miller and her mini-mes for songs, Hebrew learning, a Torah story, and space to express gratitude. Contact Rabbi Miller at rabbiheathermiller.com/contact for the link and passcode!

UPCOMING EVENTS:

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. Please request a meeting by contacting her at rabbiheathermiller@gmail.com.

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 at 10:30am PST, 1:30pm EST, 6:30pm London-time. Contact rabbiheathermiller@gmail.com to request the link and password.

EVERY THURSDAY: KEEPING IT SACRED-DAF YOMI GROUP MEET-UP

As noted above, our Facebook group will host our next virtual meetup via zoom. For the link to attend this meeting Thursdays 11am PST, 2pm EST, 7pm London time, please contact Rabbi Miller directly at rabbiheathermiller@gmail.com. 

JOIN US for our Sweet and Sacred Season!

This year is different from all other years. But, we at Keeping It Sacred are dedicated to lifting up the essence of the High Holy Day Season: Sweetness and Sacredness. We have designed a comprehensive High Holy Day experience that will emphasize these qualities and uplift the essence of the holy days. Join us for intentional programming rooted in the wisdom of Jewish tradition. All programs below are designed by Rabbi Miller to be accessible, relevant and empowering. And, unless otherwise noted, each are 1-hour. All are welcome. To register, click HERE.

FRIDAY, 9/18 EREV ROSH HASHANAH NEW YEAR DINNER

5pm PST/ 8pm EST Join Rabbi Miller and friends for a truly universal celebration of creation. Tune in with friends from various traditions to reflect upon the power of creation and the season where we re-create ourselves anew. This year we will usher in 5781 with gratitude for the diversity of the world around us. Bring your dinner and your shofar and your best hopes for the new year. Register for programming HERE. (60m)

SATURDAY, 9/19 ROSH HASHANAH DAY I*

10am PST/ 1pm EST Join Rabbi Miller for a Zoom experience designed to uplift the essence of Rosh Hashanah with prayer offerings, stories and lessons from our tradition, and invitations for thoughtful interaction.Virtual Oneg to follow; enjoy your own apples and honey and round challah. Register for programming HERE. (75min.)

SUNDAY, 9/20 GAME ABOUT WHAT MATTERS MOST

10am PST/ 1pm EST The season of reflection is a perfect time to consider what matters most to you. We will play a game (yes a game!) about life and death and meaning that is sure to spark some of the deepest conversations strangers can have with one another. Don't miss this amazing opportunity to have fun while being purposeful. Register for programming HERE. (2hrs.) 

SUNDAY 9/20 TASHLICH

3pm PST/6pm EST Tashlich is the service where we cast away any old behaviors that we would like to rid ourselves from in the new year. Rabbi Miller will Zoom in LIVE from a living body of water to perform this ritual on behalf of all of us, but you may also Zoom in LIVE from our preferred favorite living body of water as well. Don't forget to bring bread crumbs! Register for programming HERE. (30min.)

SUNDAY, 9/27 KOL NIDREI/ EREV YOM KIPPUR*

6:30 PST/ 9:30pm EST Join Rabbi Miller and musical guest for a Zoom experience designed uplift the essence of Yom Kippur Evening Service, known as Kol Nidrei, with prayer offerings, stories and lessons from our tradition, and invitations for thoughtful interaction. Together, we will usher in this most sacred day of the Jewish Year. Register for programming HERE. (75min.)

MONDAY, 9/28 YOM KIPPUR MORNING*

10am PST/ 1pm EST Join Rabbi Miller and musical guest for a Zoom experience designed uplift the essence of Yom Kippur with prayer offerings, stories and lessons from our tradition, and invitations for thoughtful interaction. Register for programming HERE. (75min.)

MONDAY, 9/28 YOM KIPPUR YIZKOR*

12pm PST/ 3pm EST Virtual Yizkor Join Rabbi Miller for a Zoom experience designed uplift the essence of the Yizkor Memorial Service with prayer offerings, stories and lessons from our tradition, and invitations for thoughtful interaction. Register for programming HERE. (75min.)

MONDAY, 9/28 YOM KIPPUR NE'ILAH & VIRTUAL BREAK-THE-FAST*

5:40pm PST/ 8:40pm EST Join Rabbi Miller for a Zoom experience designed uplift the essence of the Ne'ilah Service with prayer offerings, stories and lessons from our tradition, and invitations for thoughtful interaction that will close out the most sacred day. Following this, let's break bread together (virtually)! Register for programming HERE. (75min.)

SATURDAY 10/17: SHABBAT SINGALONG 

9am PST, noon EST, join Rabbi Miller and her mini-mes for an uplifting kid-friendly Monthly Shabbat Singalong. Pick up some Hebrew vocabulary and get in touch with gratitude in community! Email rabbiheathermiller@gmail.com for the link and password.

*For these services, we will rely on the prayerbook called Mishkan HaNefesh which will be featured on the zoom screen. But, if you'd like to purchase the two-volume books, you can do so by clicking here (enter code: MHN2020 for a discount!), or use the free digital flip book on your device by clicking 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 rabbiheathermiller@gmail.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

We'd love for you to forward this to a friend to invite them to sign up, too!

If you’d like to make sure that this kind of quality programming by

Keeping It Sacred continues, please consider making a donation via:

PayPal: Here

Venmo: username: @keepingitsacred, or

Check: may be made out to Keeping It Sacred and mailed to:

27068 La Paz Rd. #781, Aliso Viejo, CA 92656

Thank you for #keepingitsacred