The Great Rabbi Shammai would say, “greet everyone with a cheerful countenance.” 

The Mishnah (Pirkei Avot 1:15) recorded this important maxim from over 1800 years ago that is still good practice today. Shammai encourages a welcoming presence when meeting others.  

This sage wisdom was definitely a theme of this past weekend. It began Friday, with my eldest welcoming a classmate new to the school to our KITS Shabbat Services. Naturally, we rolled out the red carpet as the new student’s entire family joined us for the service and dinner (and s’mores!) after. They shared with us their initial apprehension at starting in a new school community and then expressed their relief in receiving the warm welcome. 

Saturday, I gathered with an amazing family to welcome to the world their new baby with blessing and joy. What a great tradition we have to welcome new life with communal joy!

And, Sunday, I was warmly welcomed back to the First Unitarian Church of Los Angeles to preach at their Sunday Service and was warmly invited to stay after for their Annual Church Picnic. 

All of these events have left me reflecting on the great feeling to be on the giving or receiving end of a hearty welcome. A bright smile or cheerful countenance has the power to create bonds of connection that can last a lifetime. 

The Torah would agree that there is power in welcome. In the beginning of Genesis, we learn the story of how Abraham and Sarah were particularly welcoming to three strangers who appeared in the distance. They welcomed the visitors into their tent, and fed them a hearty meal, extending dignity and care. This act of welcoming has become the hallmark of Jewish audacious hospitality, and has been lauded as exemplary behavior within the Jewish community for thousands of years. 

One cannot underestimate the importance of a warm welcome- especially in religious communities which are, for some people, the only places of meaningful human connection they have all week. 

Seasoned Professor at the Johnson & Wales University College of Hospitality Management, Karen Silva, describes the importance of a deep welcome. She reflects, “when we welcome a stranger, we too are changed by the experience.” Read the full article HERE. 

So whether you’re new to Keeping It Sacred, or if you’ve been connected to the community for years, we welcome you to engage and enjoy your time here. We are glad to be on the planet at the same time as you and welcome our reading, learning, and questioning together. Honoring one another and certainly welcoming one other is how we’re keeping it sacred. 

Together we’re #keepingitsacred...

Rabbi Heather Miller

Founder, Keeping It Sacred

RABBI MILLER AT THE FIRST UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH

Yesterday, our Rabbi Miller was invited back to the First Unitarian Universalist Church in Los Angeles to deliver a word of inspiration. She spoke on the Art of Reflection to a gathering of open and welcoming assembly dedicated to social justice and promoting goodness in the world. Afterwards, the community  celebrated their Annual Church Picnic honoring the goodness they have brought into the world together in the past year and historically- from advocacy for women’s rights, LGBT equality, racial justice, and global climate actions.

Rabbi Miller writes, “I grew up, in part, in the UU tradition as my dad is Unitarian, and have always appreciated the community’s deep commitment to social justice. Today, it was extra special to happen upon someone who had known my Unitarian grandmother, Dorothy Petrullo z”l, through her board leadership at her church in Arlington, VA. Not surprising, the parishioner described my grandmother’s focus on warmly welcoming be new members. As I shared words from my Jewish tradition, I felt her presence with me.”

To view the remarks, click HERE.

To read a past article by Rabbi Miller on her Jewish and Unitarian upbringing, click HERE.

SPIRITUAL GENTLENESS BOOK CLUB!

TODAY!! JOIN OUR NEW KITS COMMUNITY CLUB: Are you interested in holding spiritual space for healing through reading and community? Then please consider joining the new KITS Spiritual Gentleness Book Club (SGBC) led by members Ashleigh and Tracy. The SGBC will explore books in bi-monthly meetings, with topics and discussions centered on the questions that arise for those who are new to Judaism. With a collaborative approach to book discussion, we envision this book club as a place to make new friends, have nuanced and meaningful discussions, and deepen our relationships with Judaism.

Join us for the first meeting on August 26th at 2:30pm PT | 5:30pm ET, register here. We will be reviewing Here All Along by Sarah Hurwitz ! Enjoy this amazing work and let's talk 8/26!

RENEWING THE LEGACY OF THE MARCH ON WASHINGTON: RECLAIMING OUR FREEDOM

Join our Celebration of the 61st Commemoration of the March On Washington for Jobs & Freedom online! The SCLC hosts a panel of thoughtful, committed leaders, and welcomes our own Rabbi Miller to deliver opening remarks. This event will stream LIVE on Facebook at 6:30pm PT/9:30pm ET Wednesday August 29, 2024, HERE: https://www.facebook.com/sclcsocal.

ELUL ROSH CHODESH RACIAL JUSTICE BOOK REVIEW

At Keeping it Sacred, we observe Rosh Chodesh, the start of each new month, with a Racial Justice Book Review. Each month we examine new material. September 5, we begin a new book: We Refuse, by Kellie Carter Jackson-- see her on CBS talking about this book HERE-- we are excited! (And bonus: she was a professor of our own Molly Flanagan when a student at Wellesley College!) REGISTER HERE! 

Check out dates below for upcoming Rosh Chodesh where we will review We Refuse:

• 9/5 Rosh Chodesh Elul: Preface & Introduction

• 11/7* Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan: Chapter 1

• 12/5 Rosh Chodesh Kislev: Chapter 2

• 1/2 Rosh Chodesh Tevet: Chapter 3

• 1/30 Rosh Chodesh Shevat: Chapter 4

• 2/27 Rosh Chodesh Adar: Chapter 5

*Please note the 10/31 date is now 11/7.

KITS CREATIVITY CLUB

Enjoy a chance to hang out with other Keeping It Sacred community members, get to know each other better, and create. 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. 

This program is co-led by two beloved KITS Community members, Sheryl and Wendy:

• Sheryl Aronson does a variety of arts, including colored pencil, paper cutting, silk painting, stained glass, and embroidery.  She makes tallitot and kippot, (Jewish prayer shawls and head coverings), and whatever pops into her head.

• Wendy Stiver fell in love with embroidery, crocheting, and sewing a million years ago and is finding her way back to textile arts. She is also a nurse, writer, and classically-trained musician. 

Our next meeting is: September 8 at 9am PT/ 12pm ET. REGISTER HERE!

SHABBAT OF APOLOGY

Join us September 27th for Shabbat of Apology, as it is the last Shabbat before the new year. It is a special time for reflection and spiritual repair. 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. Register HERE.

RABBI MILLER’S “RESOULUTIONS”

The High Holy Days are coming and we have the perfect book to get you ready- Rabbi Miller’s RESOULUTIONS: A Practical Guide for Self- Repair. 5 stars with 12 reviews! Available everywhere books are sold. For more information, check out: keepingitsacred.com/the-book.

REFLECTIONS AND EXPECTATIONS: HIGH HOLY DAYS WITH KITS

Join us for the High Holy Days!

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 again 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, and a Morning Rosh Hashanah Service, as well as a hybrid (in person and online) Tashlich Service, Kol Nidrei Service, a Yom Kippur morning service, Yizkor, and Neilah service (See below to sign up). As always, services will be 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.

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 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 again co-lead this season's worship experiences with Rachel.”

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

REFLECTING ON OCTOBER 7 AND EVERYTHING AFTER TOGETHER

Join your Keeping It Sacred community to mourn the events of October 7 and the devastation that continues. Together, we will hold space for our grief and our pain and find ways to bravely whisper our hopes for the region.  Rabbi Miller will facilitate the sharing beginning at 9am PT/noon ET. 

SOCIAL JUSTICE IN OUR TEXTS: “STUDY BREAK” WITH LAASOK

Immigration. Climate change. Marriage equality. LGBTQ+ inclusion. Voting and civic engagement. Respect for fellow human beings.

What does Judaism teach us about creating a just society?

Each month, September through June, we will take a one-hour “study break” to learn about an aspect of social justice in Jewish texts. This series is being taught by a variety of wonderful teachers, and will meet on Monday afternoons (3pm ET / noon PT) throughout the year.

Organized by LAASOK, the liberal Beit MIdrash (“House of Study”). This program is co-sponsored by a number of organizations, including LAASOK, Keeping It Sacred, the Central Conference of American Rabbis, Dayenu: A Jewish Call to Climate Action, and Kirva. Register at laasok.org/current-offerings/#justice

LGBTQ+ JEWS OF COLOR IN JEWISH SPACES SURVEY

This survey is a pivotal step in gaining a better understanding of the unique lived experiences of LGBTQ+ Jews of Color within Jewish spaces.

Your input will inform the creation of initiatives, resources, and programs designed to enhance the lives of LGBTQ+ Jews of Color. Additionally, it will empower the broader Jewish community to become agents of change and better allies to the LGBTQ+ Jews of Color in the community.

Take the survey here.

MAKE THE CALL! PUBLISH THE EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT!

What is the Equal Rights Amendment? The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) is an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that protects all Americans and guarantees equal treatment of our laws, regardless of sex or gender. Without the Equal Rights Amendment, the government is allowed to treat people differently and worse “based on sex.” Put another way, sex discrimination is legal without the ERA.

Help bring the ERA over the finish line! Spread the word, and let’s ensure equality under the law is guaranteed. Call or Text the White House and tell them to “Make the Call! Publish the ERA!” Phone: 202-456-1111 Text: 302-404-0880 And join the movement HERE.

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 the world 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, 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.

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!

If you are a subscriber, you are a member! We have no membership dues!

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, 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.

m Brazil time/ 6:30pm London-time. Register for this program HERE. 

8/26 SPIRITUAL GENTLENESS BOOKCLUB

August 26th at 2:30pm PT | 5:30pm ET, register here. We will be reviewing Here All Along by Sarah Hurwitz! Enjoy this amazing work and let's talk 8/26!

9/5 ELUL ROSH CHODESH RACIAL JUSTICE BOOK REVIEW

This is our way of ending each month with a new vision of racial justice. 9:30am PT/12:30pm ET. Elul Rosh Chodesh Racial Justice Book Review: September 5, we begin a new book: We Refuse, by Kellie Carter Jackson-- see her on CBS talking about this book HERE-- we are excited! (And bonus: she was a professor of our own Molly Flanagan when a student at Wellesley College!) Register for this program HERE.

9/5 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. 

9/5 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.   

9/8 CREATIVITY CLUB

Enjoy a chance to hang out with other Keeping It Sacred community members, get to know each other better, and create. Bring your favorite form of creativity to work on, Art, Baking, Craft, Dance, etc. and share inspiration at 9am PT|noon ET. REGISTER HERE.

9/12 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. 

9/12 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.   

9/19 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. 

9/19 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.   

9/22 CREATIVITY CLUB

Enjoy a chance to hang out with other Keeping It Sacred community members, get to know each other better, and create. Bring your favorite form of creativity to work on, Art, Baking, Craft, Dance, etc. and share inspiration. REGISTER HERE.

9/26 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. 

9/26 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.   

10/2 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. 

10/3 HIGH HOLY DAY PROGRAMMING

Rosh Hashanah

10am PT/ 1pm ET (75 min) Celebrate the birth of the world in gathered community. Please register for this program: HERE. 

10/3 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. 

10/3 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.   

10/4 HIGH HOLY DAY PROGRAMMING

Second Day Rosh Hashanah with Jewtina y Co.

10am PT/1pm ET, we will celebrate the Second Day Rosh Hashanah with Jewtina Y Co. Gain the tools needed for spiritual growth with Kimberly Dueñas & Jewtina y Co. REGISTER HERE.

10/6 CREATIVITY CLUB

Enjoy a chance to hang out with other Keeping It Sacred community members, get to know each other better, and create. Bring your favorite form of creativity to work on, Art, Baking, Craft, Dance, etc. and share inspiration at 9am PT|noon ET. REGISTER HERE.

10/6 HIGH HOLY DAY PROGRAMMING

Tashlich Service & Beach Hangout

11AM LIVE from the beach in California, join Rabbi Miller in person or via LIVESTREAM for a special Tashlich Service and KITS family hangout. Gather in community and start the year with spiritual renewal. Please register for this program: HERE.

10/10 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. 

10/10 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.   

 
10/11 HIGH HOLY DAY PROGRAMMING

Kol Nidrei/Erev Yom Kippur

7pm PT/10pm ET (75 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: HERE.

10/12 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: HERE.

10/12 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: HERE.

10/12 HIGH HOLY DAY PROGRAMMING

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

5:45pm PT/8:45pm ET (60 min) Rejoice in the conclusion of the day. For more information and to register, please visit: HERE.

10/17 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. 

10/17 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.   

10/20 CREATIVITY CLUB

Enjoy a chance to hang out with other Keeping It Sacred community members, get to know each other better, and create. Bring your favorite form of creativity to work on, Art, Baking, Craft, Dance, etc. and share inspiration at 9am PT|noon ET. REGISTER HERE.

10/24 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. 

10/24 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.   

10/31 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. 

10/31 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.   

11/3 CREATIVITY CLUB

Enjoy a chance to hang out with other Keeping It Sacred community members, get to know each other better, and create. Bring your favorite form of creativity to work on, Art, Baking, Craft, Dance, etc. and share inspiration at 9am PT|noon ET. REGISTER 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 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!