Have you heard of Lucila Gamero de Medina? If you haven’t, I hadn’t either until this morning. I’m sharing a recent post from the GoFundMe here, and in it I think about Lucila in the context of Megillat Esther . . . because, you know, it was just Purim. If you read this post it would mean a lot (a lot a lot a lot) if you’d share a quick comment.
Read MoreUltimately, what makes Abby, Tried and True such a solidly good book - Jewish or otherwise - is its emotional honesty. Abby is a fully realized awkward, thoughtful, sometimes self-absorbed, and deeply loving character. The writing balances humor and gravity, allowing readers to breathe even in heavy moments. The themes of courage, loyalty, and growth resonate across contexts and they are delivered with warmth, humor, and authenticity.
Read MoreWith our Go Fund Me: Love is Boss Let’s Help in Honduras, our community has shared $18,109 through Miguel to support medical care, nutritional needs, housing support, birthdays, and other essential needs. In addition, there were separate/private contributions totaling just over $14,000. That brings the collective total to about $32,109, or an average of ~$2,675 each month. Amazingly and wonderfully, this meets - and even slightly exceeds - our goal of $2,500 per month.
Dollars matter. What matters more is what they made possible.
Antisemitism means prejudice against or hatred of Jews. I am 49. I reflected this morning that when I was in 7th and 8th grade my peers in a small town in Missouri said things to me like, “You would fit so well in an oven.” Antisemitism affects us, but it is not about us. It feels hard right now because it is hard right now. It’s real.
I’m here to help however I can.
These seven weeks of 49 days are a time of consolation.
They are a time to ask ourselves and to ask each other questions so specific we can answer them in this particular moment. Where am I right now? How am I right now? What do I need right now? What good can I bring into the world right now? What is one thing I can do to comfort someone right now? What comfort do I need right now?
These are the right now weeks.
They are tender.
I’ve included a link to my Sounds of Comfort playlist with this post.
It’s the 6th anniversary of my decision to wear a kippah all the time, and reflecting on that today has gotten me thinking. Tonight, the night after yesterday's election, feels really different for me than it once might have because November 9, 2016 has become my baseline.
Tonight, I feel pretty grounded and okay enough.
Better than I anticipated I might.
You?
Read MoreNEW WITH AUDIO! Listen to my NEW d’var Torah for Bresheet.
(Or read it - that’s still an option, too!)
Birth control.
It was me, not Miguel, who wanted to talk about it.
“This kinda makes me uncomfortable,” he wrote, “talking about something so personal as sex in order to raise money! I know that’s not YOUR thinking, but I want to avoid ANYONE thinking that!”
