If you remember, I had called Chabad as a possible avenue to learn about my new fascination with Jewish spirituality. I spoke right away with the Rebbetzin (the Rabbi’s wife Chanie) and told her I had very limited interaction with Judaism. I did have experiences in other spiritual settings and detailed my sundry explorations including Read More
ALL DRESSED UP WITH NOWHERE TO GO: so now what?
Now here I was with a new found fascination for Judaism…but with nowhere to go? Yes I Ioved the ideas in the books I was reading, i.e. “Seeing G-d” by Rabbi David Aaron, but what do I do with that? I called the only somewhat religious Jewish friend I had and asked her. Shari must Read More
LEAVING JUDAISM? a turning point
Sometimes it takes a bad experience to turn us around. Although I had basically no Jewish affiliation and was far along the secular continuum, our four year old son attended a Jewish pre-school. Now that we had children I thought I should try to offer them some kind of Jewish community/identity. I certainly didn’t feel qualified Read More
DAVID’S STAR
I wear a Jewish star necklace now. I always thought I would never wear one. I didn’t think it was useful or appropriate to advertise my religion as one of the first things you see or know about me. Then my son went to Israel and returned home with a beautiful and modest Jewish star Read More
THERE WAS NO MISTAKE: Yom Kippur take 2
Same day, same Yom Kippur Service, 2019. I was innocently sitting there gently striking my chest, whispering the sins listed in the Yom Kippur Siddur, when another wild wonderful realization came. Having experienced a share of trauma growing up, I had wished many times I could return to the happy, unself-conscious, young girl who was Read More
TRAUMA: Yom Kippur & freedom
On Yom Kippur 2019 I was in Shul hungry, standing, sitting, standing, sitting, and as usual not really understanding what was going on. I began to feel guilty about something I imagined I hadn’t done well. A close friend was going through a tough time and though I had tried to support her, somehow I Read More
DISILLUSIONED: and cracking open
Sam was extremely good looking. A very good dancer with a twinkle in his eye, dancing was big when he was growing up and he was a star on the dance floor. While his good looks and light-footed charm earned him some ease in life, Sam also faced hard lessons. Rifka, his mom, had experienced Read More
ROSH HASHANAH: and self worth
I’ve heard it said that Rosh Hashana represents the birthday of the world, the day that G-d created Adam and Eve, and the head of the Jewish year… as G-d created Adam and Eve and the world, so we can be reborn on this day…
SWINGSTER: that girl can dance
My mom did not try to set herself apart. She went about her business, but she just was so zesty and full of life….back in the ’30s and ’40s, swing dance was the big thing and my mom (and dad) could dance! She’d lead me through the lindy hop moves in my little teenage bedroom; it…
TELL YOUR STORIES: Build it and they will come
WHAT ARE YOUR STORIES? I was going to wait until the influx of your stories came spontaneously flooding in. Then, the plan was to set up a special link just for your tales. The idea that we are bigger and better when we come together is ancient. Building community. Not just Vivi and each reader. Read More