Newsletter July 1, 2024 Together, we're #keepingitsacred... |
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Melissa’s aunt suddenly died yesterday (rest in peace, Tita Fatima). And, as sometimes we find, a sudden unexpected loss puts us all back in touch with the reality that life is infinitely fragile and precious. The rabbis said death is like removing a single hair from a bowl of milk. This conveys how the difference between life and death is a gentle, simple process - the soul can be removed gently at any time. And the distance between life and death? The rabbis describe it only as a thin veil. In fact there are some very interesting graveyard visits described in the Talmud where people talk to the dead as though through the thin veil. The rabbis also described the distance between life and death in physiological terms. When they instituted the daily blessings they included one thanking God for the complex inner workings of the body. And they specifically note gratitude that our body openings that should be open are open and the openings that should be closed are closed, because if they weren’t we wouldn’t be able to praise God. They highlight this truth that at any instance we could be in mortal danger if any part of our anatomy wasn’t working properly. The fact that we are alive is a miracle and something to be grateful for; perhaps this is why the rabbis insisted we lift up this blessing each day- life is not to be taken for granted. This week’s Torah portion is Korach, and it describes a terrifying decree that God sent a deadly plague against the people who were rebelling against Moses and Aaron. But Aaron, being the high priest, was called in to administer an incense ritual of atonement to turn back the plague. As he did so, the text tells us he “stood between the dead and the living.” We are each standing between the dead and the living every moment. We live life, as some say, on this razor’s edge. And that unique quality of existence is there to remind us of the preciousness of life. Let it motivate us to make each day count. To hold each day precious. And to be grateful for each day. This is how we’re keeping it sacred. Together, we’re #keepingitsacred...
Rabbi Heather Miller
Founder, Keeping It Sacred |
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SIYYUM TRACTATE BAVA METZIA |
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AMAZING! Our weekly Daf Yomi group recently finished reading Tractate Bava Metzia along with all those in the world who are on the Daf Yomi cycle. We had a dedicated group of learners celebrate together-- the ceremony for the completion of a Tractate of Talmud is called a Siyyum/ Culmination. Look at these happy faces glowing from Talmud study together, from around the US and world-- CA, France, OH, NJ, Italy, IN, FL, Wales, VA, Canada, Denver, Brazil, Mauritius, and more! MAZAL TOV to all who participated, and all are welcome -- if you'd like to try jumping into the next tractate (Bava Kamma) please do so! Details below. |
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HEALING CIRCLE & TALMUD TEXT STUDY EVERY THURSDAY |
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NOTE: THIS THURSDAY WE WILL ONLY HAVE HEALING CIRCLE. Please join us again for Talmud on 7/11! JOIN our healing circle holding space for all looking for prayers for healing. This and ALMOST 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. *Please note we will not be meeting July 4th. 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. |
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Shalom! 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 on July 14th at 9am PT | noon ET. REGISTER HERE! Come create with KITS Creativity Club as we make all kinds of greeting cards for our members. Thank you cards, condolence cards, get well cards, and Mazal Tov cards that Rabbi Miller will send to our members around the world as needed/ and they will find them meaningful because they were created by us!
Bring cardstock or construction paper, and anything you want to write, draw and decorate with. Have fun while you do a mitzvah!
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Our beloved members Sheryl and David recently saw this incredible rainbow in the sky on the last day of PRIDE. It is called a supernumerary rainbow, and is very rare. While Rabbi Miller enjoyed Ojai Pride and Molly Flanagan attended NYC Pride! Happy PRIDE to all! The Keeping It Sacred community shines best when we are all our most vibrant expressions of ourselves! |
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HUC'S NEW POLICY ON CLERGY IN INTERFAITH RELATIONSHIPS |
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Recently, the flagship Reform rabbinical school known as Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR) recently updated its policy with regard to applicants in interfaith relationships. Before, such applicants were not welcome. Recently, the school pivoted on their policy- but did they go far enough? Ed Case, founder of interfaithfamily.com (now known as 18Doors), wrote an amazing piece describing the decision which he named: "The Reform movement’s decision to admit intermarried rabbis is good. Truly welcoming them would be great." His commentary can be found HERE. Rabbi Miller writes, "When I applied for HUC-JIR, the 'blue form' as we called it required me to declare that I was not nor would I enter into a serious romantic relationship with a non-Jew. This was an offensive 'welcome' into rabbinical school because it conveyed that families like the one I came from, interfaith families, were not as desirable as those whose parents were in-married. I worked in all the ways I could to help move the school forward while I was there and thank goodness for those who continued the work well after I left. I feel about the policy just as Ed Case describes. Many thanks to him for his analysis. I hope you enjoy it." |
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TAMMUZ ROSH CHODESH RACIAL JUSTICE BOOK REVIEW |
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This is our way of beginning each month with a new vision of racial justice. Tammuz Rosh Chodesh Racial Justice Book Review: July 11th 9:30am PT/12:30pm ET. Register here! We are reading Grieving While Black by Breeshia Wade. And mark your calendar for upcoming dates: Tammuz Rosh Chodesh Racial Justice Book Review: NEW DATE! July 11, Chapter 8 Av Rosh Chodesh Racial Justice Book Review: August 8, a special session on the intersection of antisemitism with racism, links will be provided. 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!)
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July 26th, REGISTER HERE for Soulful Shabbat! Give yourself the gift of space to reflect and rejuvenate in community with monthly Shabbat services. Rabbi Miller and Max Winer will lead the community with Jewish thought and sacred song the last Friday of every month. These services take place the LAST Friday night of the month both online and in person (in Sherman Oaks, CA) at 5:30pm PT/8:30pm ET. Please RSVP for both at keepingitsacred.com/upcoming and if you’d like to join in person, please email Rabbi Miller at rabbimiller@keepingitsacred.com for details. |
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ADVANCE DIRECTIVES AND END-OF-LIFE OPTIONS IN 2024 |
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On August 6th at 10am PT Keeping It Sacred brings you this important program on end of life needs. Expert Karen Morin, founder of LA Patient Advocates will share information about palliative care, hospice care, and other considerations such as feeding tubes, antibiotics, dementia, voluntary stopping eating and drinking, and medical aid in dying/death with dignity. This is your life and your voice is important. Attend to help understand more about choices available. Register here now! |
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SPIRITUAL GENTLENESS BOOK CLUB: COMING SOON! |
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NEW KITS COMMUNITY CLUB: COMING SOON! 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. Gatherings will be held Mondays at 1pm PT, and will be scheduled soon. Stay tuned — registration information will appear in our upcoming newsletters. |
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RABBI MILLER’S “RESOLUTIONS” |
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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 Available everywhere books are sold. For more information, check out: keepingitsacred.com/the-book |
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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! If you are a subscriber, you are a member! We have no membership dues! |
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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, 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.
7/11 TAMMUZ 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. We are reading chapter 8 of Grieving While Black by Breeshia Wade. Register for this program HERE. 7/11 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. 7/11 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. 7/14 CREATIVITY CLUB Every other Sunday at 9am PT | noon ET! 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. REGISTER HERE. 7/18 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. 7/18 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. 7/25 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. 7/25 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. 7/26 SHABBAT SERVICES Give yourself the gift of space to reflect and rejuvenate in community with monthly shabbat services. 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. These services take place the LAST Friday night of the month both online and in person (in Sherman Oaks, CA) at 5:30pm PT/8:30pm ET. Register here! 7/28 CREATIVITY CLUB Every other Sunday at 9am PT | noon ET! 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. REGISTER HERE. 8/6 ADVANCE DIRECTIVES AND END-OF-LIFE OPTIONS IN 2024 Keeping It Sacred brings you this important program on end of life needs. Expert Karen Morin, founder of LA Patient Advocates will share information about palliative care, hospice care, and other considerations such as feeding tubes, antibiotics, dementia, voluntary stopping eating and drinking, and medical aid in dying/death with dignity. This is your life and your voice is important. Attend to help understand more about choices available. Register here now! 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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