Psalm 51:15 reads, “Adonai, s’fatai tiftach, u’fi yagid t’hilatecha.” God, open my lips, and my mouth will speak your praise. Many Jews know these words because they are recited at the beginning of the Amidah, one of the centerpieces of Jewish prayer. They act as a kind of gateway that the worshipper passes through […]
Prayer
A Meditation for the Airport Traveler
may I arrive at my destination in wholeness and in peace may my fellow travelers, those I know and those I don’t, those who choose to travel and those who must, arrive at their destinations in wholeness and in peace may those that fly the planes, care for the planes, and care for all these […]
A Blessing for Grandparents Day
Dear God, Source of life, source of blessing, source of miracles. We thank you for granting us the ability to witness and experience miracles. The miracles of love and family, of children and grandchildren, of a chain of tradition that extends across the generations. The miracles of growth and transformation, Of learning and discovery, of […]
Then and now
today I found myself praying in the chapel that I prayed in as a rabbinical student. Sitting among the rabbinical students and professors I found myself overcome with emotion i thought about their voices and the voices that filled this same space in the years when I was a rabbinical student I thought about my […]
A Sukkah of Peace
For the last couple of years we’ve had “themed” Sukkahs at The Davis Academy. This year’s theme is: Sukkat Shlomeicha (Sukkah of God’s Peace). Or more colloquially, “The Peace Sukkah.” I’m really excited about it. The inspiration for this theme comes from a Jewish prayer called, “Hashkiveinu.” It is one of many (many) Jewish prayers […]
Remember (#BlogElul 13)
remember that thing that happened and how it made you feel and what was said and what was done and what was unsaid and what was undone and who was there and who was absent and who was there without really being there and who was absent without really being absent and what came […]