goyim, these are days to avoid scheduling important events, meetings, etc:

Rosh Hashanah - evening of Wednesday, October 2nd - evening of Thursday, October 3rd (& some Jews will continue observing for an additional day, through the evening of Friday, October 4th)

Yom Kippur - evening of Friday, October 11th - evening of Saturday, October 12th

Jews, you do you and obviously your safety is paramount, but I really strongly recommend TAKING THESE DAYS OFF WORK even if you don't consider yourself particularly observant, even if you won't be spending the day in synagogue, even if you aren't fasting. Most Christians* don't go to work on Christmas even if they aren't going to church that day and are just having a secular celebration at home with family. Holidays mean different things to different people, but especially if your workplace has a policy supporting religious holiday observance, USE YOUR DAYS without guilt. Know that it actually makes it EASIER for other Jews when you do so, because it helps to prevent the whole conversation with a boss of "well that guy is Jewish and he said he doesn't need the day off because he's just going to go to evening services."

yes it sucks SO hard if you are in a type of job where you are put in a position where you are forced to use PTO or just lose pay for something that people of other religions get for free -- i'm more speaking to people who work in offices or similar type of jobs* where they may have holiday time off as a DEI initiative but feel guilty using it because i have been there!!!!! last year i was the only jew at my workplace who took off for yom kippur even though it was paid because the other jews said they didn't feel jewish enough to do it and they had a meeting that day!!!!!!

This past class was about the Torah and Tanakh in general, and the way the rabbi talked about the commandments (specifically the ten commandments) has made me really reflect on how I interpret them, specifically the fifth commandment, or honoring your mother and father.

This is a commandment I have wrestled with for a long time - in fact, it brought me away from g-d at multiple times. I was severely abused when I was incredibly young by my mother, and I used to feel insulted at the implication that I were to honor her while she got to live a better life. It was hypocritical, in my eyes.

But this rabbi surmised that this particular commandment was because parenthood is an act of creation, something that is like the g-d from which we come from. My realization is this: I don't think we're necessarily meant to take even these commandments literally.

I this particular commandment is more of a call to honor creation - creation is a gift, and like any gift, many people simply will not like it and will discard it. The person who abused me created me, but she did not honor creation. She didn't honor me, but I can still honor it.

I have started to honor creation much more. I'm too young, too unstable, not mature enough to be a father (though I fantasize about it), but I create all the time. I create relationships, I create with my hands through crochet. I create memories, I create my world. And I can honor who I am and where I came from that made me who I am. I've been learning one of the mother tongues of my family (Italian, since part of my family originates there) and it was judaism that inspired me to do this.

I don't think g-d wants me to honor my abuser. I think He wants me to remember the Holy action of creation. When I am a father, that act of creation will be Holy, and indeed, I am already joyful about the thought.

A while back, in a class my rabbi was leading for Shavuot, we talked about this mitzvah and what it means to actually carry it out, especially if you have abusive or neglectful or just plain bad parents. Something that my rabbi said that has stuck with me ever since is that, if you have abusive parents, then it's likely that spending time with them often causes you great harm or grief or anger. When they do harm you, you may lash out defensively, or you may silently retreat from any real connection with them, or you may even have to flee.

You cannot honor your parents by yelling at them or stonewalling them or storming out on them; you can, however, honor your parents by not sitting in that room with them to begin with. When a parent is abusive, they create a dynamic wherein the only way you can honor them is by not being around them, because you cannot be expected to respond to violence with honor.

Shamir Worm, 2021.

the shamir worm is one of Jewish folklore’s “miracles of creation,” made at twilight on the sixth day (along with things like the rainbow and Moses’ staff): a tiny creature that could cut stone - either by its piercing gaze or with its mouth - it was used by King Solomon to build the first temple, due to the fact that no iron tools or other potential instruments of bloodshed could be used to build a holy monument to peace. some say it was also used to engrave the tablets with the 10 commandments, and to engrave the names of the 12 tribes of Israel on the stones in the priestly breastplate. the mystical shamir is a symbol of creative destruction and a reminder that powerful things can come in tiny forms.

is shaky and sad

and every verse rhymes

with a tear

the candle flames (lit

seventeen minutes late)

are alight

unlike any hearts here

the angels of shabbos

both look the scene over

then turn to each other

and both heave a sigh

may it be like this next week

the evil one utters

amen

says the good one

the evil asks

why?

this home is a mess

and the people are too

yes, the food is prepared

but that’s all they could do

upset and unsettled

the bed left unmade

the table unset

and the lighting delayed

this shabbos is laden

with hurt and with pain

so how can you see this

and answer ‘amen’?

may it be like this next week

the good one replies

(watching the people

with tears in their eyes)

that candles are kindled

before the sun sets

that through all their struggles

they manage to rest

to honor shabbat

in the ways that they may

they gave it their best

and they got through the day

may it be like this weekly

in every domain

the evil one sighs

and then answers

amen

as shalom aleichem

soon draws to its end

the angels depart

as the lyrics ascend

the house is still filthy

the troubles don’t cease

yet still, here we are

blessing angels of peace

may peace be upon you

they pray in return

perhaps not this week

A Simchat Torah we can never forget

On the morning of October 7, 2023, Simchat Torah, the Jewish community faced its most horrific day since the Holocaust, with over 1,200 lives cruelly taken and many more held hostage. This tragedy has bonded us in deep collective sorrow.

As the Jewish world remains united in grief, we are challenged with the difficult question:

How do we move forward from such profound loss?

Can we dance? Should we dance?

October 2024 will mark the first Simchat Torah since the devastating events of October 7, 2023. Traditionally a day of joy, dancing, and celebration, this Simchat Torah will also serve as the first yahrzeit for the 1,200 victims and a time to honor the hostages and soldiers who have passed since that day.

Now the Jewish community faces profound questions: How should we respond? Is it possible to celebrate as we once did?

With tears in our eyes we will dance

The words of King Solomon in Kohelet, that we will read on Sukkot, offer us guidance: “There is a time for everything under the Heavens… a time to mourn, and a time to dance.” Simchat Torah 2024 will be that time.

A Simchat Torah shared throughout the world

Synagogues around the world will open their Aron HaKodesh (Torah Ark) on Simchat Torah night and take out several Torah scrolls. One, or more, will be adorned with a new me’il (Torah cover), designed to mark the first yahrzeit of October 7th. This me’il will be identical to the ones which will be created for 1600 synagogues across the world. This beautifully designed me’il will proclaim that this Torah is dedicated in memory of the 1200 souls and the many soldiers and hostages who have since died, Al Kiddush Hashem.

Every Single Soul is an Entire Torah

Each Torah me'il will feature the name of one of the kedoshim (holy souls/victims) embroidered onto it. Communities around the world will dance with these Torah scrolls – thousands of communities, with hundreds of thousands if not millions of Jews being connected through this project.Each me’il (Torah cover) is embroidered with the flag of Israel along with the Pasuk from Kohelet, “There is a time to mourn, and a time to dance”The Front of the me’il (Torah cover) for both Ashkenazi and Sephardi TorahsThe Back is embroidered with the name of one of the souls of the many soldiers and hostages who have died, Al Kiddush Hashem since the events of October 7th.

United in sorrow. United in celebration.

The Jewish world will be unified, knowing that across the globe, Jews are dancing with Torah scrolls that collectively link us all with the events of October 7th, and inspire us to realize that “Am Yisrael Chai.” Synagogues will encourage their members to come and dance with the newly robed scroll, to remember the fallen, by holding their Torah high, so that they can say: “We will not forget what happened on Simchat Torah last year, but we are determined to dispel the darkness with light.”

This project will symbolize the Jewish People’s resilience, our ability to find hope in the face of tragedy.

Over 1600 communities across the globe will unite for Israel and the Jewish people.

I ask my partner (goyische, bashert, beloved) "what was the best part of your week" as we sit down to Shabbos dinner of takeout.  "choir rehearsal at synagogue," they reply, and my heart swells. 

I grab my phone to wish a slew of friends  "good Shabbos! may you get the rest you need!" in the morning, I will wrap myself in a tallis of silk I chose  not one I was given and daven to the music of an acoustic guitar. 

some will say that I have not kept Shabbat.  but I have remembered.  and I say

Asmara Synagogue, Eritrea.

Who among the celestials, is like you, (hashem)?

Who is like you - majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?

I like it, because it not only praises Hashem, but it also aligns with the henotheistic interpretation of Judaism (worshipping only one god, but not denying that others could exist), which is thought to be much older, but it is also something I identify with in terms of the way i make sense of theology.

It recognizes the possible existence of other celestials, but affirms that, in our opinion, Hashem is the coolest.