Entering Elul and Committing to Spiritual Preparation Today is Rosh Chodesh Elul, the beginning of the 40 day teshuva period climaxing on Yom Kippur. For thoughts about the spirituality of preparation see my newsletter post from August 1 here. In synagogues around the world this morning we began blowing the shofar and reciting Psalm 27, “L’David Mizmor.” […]
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On your mark, get set….. Preparing to Prepare for the New Year
Greetings from Jerusalem, where I am teaching in the Pardes Institute summer program and reconnecting with so many fabulous people here. While we are deep in the summer, the Jewish new year, Labor Day and the start of school are not that far off. Indeed, the Hebrew month of Elul has its own set of […]
Hearing with an Open Heart in Av
Wisdom for Listening in the New Month Today is Erev Rosh Chodesh Menachem Av – also known as Yom Kippur Katan, the monthly time set aside for reflection and teshuva to boost the atoning and renewing power of Rosh Chodesh. The quality of hearing is the Tikkun for the month of Av. Tammuz and Av are […]
Staying Politically and Spiritually Engaged in These Times
Welcome to the first newsletter of the summer! I want to share some thoughts about seeing the hard things that are happening in the US. I also want to remind you that now is a great time to register for the Teshuva workshop and Webinar. In the Jewish world we begin the “Three Weeks” period today, […]
Fight Like a Mensch: Integrated Social Change
By Rabbi David Jaffe, Rabbi Rachel Timoner and Rabbi Deborah Waxman, Ph.D. June 13, 2018 This article was originally posted on eJewish Philanthropy. What was the program at the J Street National Conference, held in April, that was so pressing that every seat was taken, the floor was filled to overflow and the doors had […]
