The Wonder of the Hebrew Aleph-Bet – Introduction

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  Twenty-two foundation letters He hewed them He combined them He wove them together He weighed them  He interchanged them And He created with them the whole Creation And everything that was to be created.   In order to create we need the light of inspiration – to “see” or envision what is to be […]

Reflections on Purim

Every Festival of the Hebrew calendar year reminds us to take note, to be aware and to  be surprised by the newness that God continually offers us. We can look back to where we were the previous year and consider how far we have come spiritually. The  Festivals of the Bible do not measure chronological time, […]

Simplify & Soar – 12 – ADAR

SIMPLIFY & SOAR                                                                         20223/5873  ADAR –   Malchut: Mystery, Hidden Miracles, and the Color Black At the core of […]

Simplify & Soar – 10 – TEVET

SIMPLIFY & SOAR                                                                         2022 /5873 TEVET   Hod: Humility and Devotion, Joshua, and the Color Saffron O Lord, how […]

Simplify and Soar – 11 – SH’VAT

Yesod: Connection and Bonding, Joseph, and the Color Brown Breath, which I draw in, from You it comes, Light in my eyes, from you it alights, Advice which I follow, it is grounded in You, My spirit, no matter what obstacles it encounters, beholds You, and yields. ~ Yehudah HaLevi (A singer of Zion, born […]

Simplify & Soar – 9- (KISLEV) Endurance, Moshe and Purple

 KISLEV – NETZACH, MOSHE, AND THE COLOR PURPLE  “When I am an old woman, I shall wear purple, with a red hat which doesn’t go and doesn’t suit me.” ~ Jenny Joseph Welcome to Kislev – a month of wonder, light, miracles and inspiration. It falls in Israel, and the Northern hemisphere, at the darkest, […]

Hanukkah – How To Celebrate

Ancient Jewish writings describe a delightful exchange between God and His people: ISRAEL:  God, You illuminated the whole universe and then tell us to light the menorah?GOD:  The little lights of your menorah are more precious to me than the lights of all the stars I have placed in the sky. For You light my […]

Hanukkah Reads

photo credit: Juniper Books As the flickering lights of Hanukkah invite us into their warmth and holiness, it feels like the most natural thing in the world to cuddle up with a good book together with those we love. Reading together has been part of my family’s celebrations for years and many of the reads I recommend […]

Hanukkah – Seeing the Light

Hanukkah is the only feast that originated in the land of Israel.Pesach originated in Egypt; Purim in Persia; Shavuot and Sukkot in the wilderness. Hanukkah, however, happened Poh – פה – here, in Israel. The Holy Temple was cleansed and rededicated and the miracle of the menorah lights occurred. Light broke in and overcame the […]

Simchat Torah – Joy of Torah

A JOYOUS NEW BEGINNING The conclusion of the annual Torah reading cycle at this time and the immediate beginning of the cycle for the next year is the central reason and focus of the holiday of Simchat Torah. An old gate is closing and a new one is opening. We celebrate the new beginning and the […]

Sukkot – Feast of Tabernacles – Part 1

SUKKOT – SEASON OF OUR JOY – A HARVEST FEAST ~ Keren Hannah  As we approach the week-long festival of Sukkot [soo-koht], we are aware that the seasons are changing. Summer is slowly but surely giving way to the cooler nights and days of Fall. We are reminded that time is divided into years and each […]

Sukkot – Part 2 – The Four Species

THE FOUR SPECIES After the sukkah, the most visible elements associated with the celebration of the festival of Sukkot are the Arba Minim, the Four Species. While the sukkah is a reminder of the temporary nature of our journey and the need for God’s supernatural provision and protection in the wilderness, the four species are […]