Our parents read these words Our grandparents read these words And the generations that came before Names, faces, places, hearts, minds, souls, whose names we do not know but who somehow dreamed that we might one day read these words too We are not the first, we are not the last, We are not the […]
Spirituality
Sometimes I don’t have the Ruach
Previously, I mentioned the opening prayer that some of my Middle School Jewish Studies colleagues and I wrote and which our Middle School community recites at the beginning of our t’fila services x2-3/week. It starts, “All I have to offer in prayer is myself/ sometimes I cannot find the Ruach (spirit) to pray alone.” Sometimes […]
All I have to offer
A few years ago my colleagues and I wrote an opening prayer for t’fila at The Davis Academy middle school. It starts with the line, “All I have to offer in prayer is myself.” We recite it every time our Middle School community gathers for t’fila, but what does it mean. On the one hand […]
The unity of all humankind
I recently accompanied 7th graders from The Davis Academy on an interfaith field trip. We visited the Roswell Community Masjid, The BAPS Hindu Mandir, and Atlanta’s Baha’i Center. Having visited these three sites somewhat amazingly puts Davis Academy 7th graders in a small minority of people who have visited faith communities other than their own […]
How we remember
How we remember says a lot about who we are– as individuals, as communities, as societies. This week marked Israel’s 67th Yom HaZikaron (Memorial Day). The exact number of fallen soldiers and victims of terrorist attacks is read. Traditional prayers are recited and bereaved mothers, fathers, sisters, and brothers share their stories. We cry. All […]
A grief that cannot be spoken
Today I had the honor of hearing someone speak about a grief that cannot be spoken. A grief so profound, so enduring, so heavy, that words cannot do it justice. So how did I hear her speak about this grief? Through poetry. Jewish tradition teaches that words that come from the heart enter the heart. […]