The rabbis of the Talmud remind us that after the destruction of the Temple, Jews were called upon to create a mikdash me’at (small sanctuary), extending God’s presence in the world through the building of synagogues and houses of study, and even welcoming the Divine into our homes. In this moment of isolation for so many, in which we are disconnected from the physical spaces most closely identified with holiness, we are again called upon to establish small sanctuaries in our homes. How can we prepare physically, mentally, and spiritually for this transformation? How does this inform the ways in which we think about sacred space more broadly? Join us as we dive deeper.
Rabbi Ebn Leader: Prayer Practice on Zoom
Rabbi Ebn Leader has been a student of Rabbi Art Green for the past twenty years and, together with him, was one of the founders of the Rabbinical School at Hebrew College in Boston. Rabbi Leader is dedicated to helping his students understand and apply prayer as a spiritual practice.
Rosh Hashanah Seder
Fresh off the presses from the Rabbinical Assembly, this Seder for Rosh Hashanah follows the contours of a Pesah Seder, but is filled with the themes and liturgy of the Yamim Nora’im, crafting a meal experience full of ritual food, discussion, song, movement, and connection. Be sure to check out this beautiful resource, from a creative team that includes former Marshall T. Meyer Fellows, Rabbis Sarit Horowitz, Alex Braver, and Sarah Krinsky.
Rabbi Jan Uhrbach: A Look Inside Mahzor Lev Shalem
Rabbi Jan Uhrbach is director of the Block/Kolker Center for Spiritual Arts at the Jewish Theological Seminary, and founding rabbi of the Conservative Synagogue of the Hamptons in Bridgehampton, NY. She was the associate editor of Siddur Lev Shalem and served on the editorial committee for Machzor Lev Shalem. She is also a grateful member of BJ.
Tobi Kahn and Nessa Rapoport: Art and Poetry for Rosh Hashanah
Tobi Kahn has had more than seventy solo museum shows of his paintings, sculpture, installations, and ceremonial art. Selected collections include those at the Guggenheim Museum; the Houston Museum of Fine Arts; The Phillips Collection; the Jewish Museum in New York; the Jewish Museum of Florida, Inc.; and the Minneapolis Institute of Art. Nessa Rapoport’s new novel, Evening, was published by Counterpoint Press on September 1, 2020. She is the author of Preparing for Sabbath, a novel; A Woman’s Book of Grieving, prose poems; and House on the River, a Summer Journey; among other works.
Breaking Down Mikdash Me’at
How can I create a mikdash me’at (small sanctuary) in my home? Where does this concept come from? Check out BJ’s breakdown.
Songs for Rosh Hashanah with Shira
Create a sacred space by filling your family’s home with music! Enjoy these classic Rosh Hashanah songs with BJ’s own, Shira Averbuch!
Jenna Weissman Joselit: Hallow the Halls
Jenna Weissman Joselit, the Charles E. Smith Professor of Judaic Studies & Professor of History at the George Washington University, and the author, most recently, of Set in Stone: America’s Embrace of the Ten Commandments, also writes a monthly column on American Jewish history and culture for Tablet.