I’ve been fighting with my best friend. Over our two decades of friendship it has happened a handful of times — conflict, hurt feelings, angry words, the silent treatment, and ultimately wondering if the friendship is forever broken, or not worth the pain it causes in these times of disconnect. …
Read More »Mindful Morning at the Boulder JCC
The Boulder JCC will be hosting a Mindful Morning on Friday, June 3rd. This in-person event will offer opportunities for silent sitting meditation, walking meditation, learning, and connecting with community in an inviting outdoor setting.
Read More »Prayers for a New Year
These things--the power that gives me water and warmth, the cup of tea, the big snowfall, the safety--may I never take for granted.
Read More »Lifting Up: Art Expression Beyond Boulder
Jacqueline Zilberberg, a Venezuelan Jewish photographer, whose own country was in free fall, took to the streets of New York City to reinvent herself and her art during the Pandemic.
Read More »Saba Says: Let’s Stay Connected
For those of you who are lucky enough to be grandparents, whether you're called Bubbie or Zeyde, or Grandma or Grandpa, or Safta or Saba, you have at least one thing in common. During Covid, Grandkids everywhere have been missing out on the love, playtime, cuddling, cooking and wisdom that grandparents routinely provide.
Read More »Torah, Fathers, Daughters and Me
Early in Parsha Pinchas, after a plague that kills off all the idolatrous Israelites, G-d instructs Moses to take count of the surviving Israelite sons age 20 and older for the purpose of distributing land as an inheritance after their fathers' death.
Read More »Tikkun Olam: A New Memoir That Repairs a Jewish Author’s Shattered Memories
It’s a blessing to get to see people move through life, operating in all the various roles over time that make them who they are. I’ve known Ellen Blum Barish, the author of the new memoir, “Seven Springs,” for 30 years. We were young moms together, we were part of …
Read More »A Contemplative Life Scan for Parashat Yitro
In honor of Monte’s 65th birthday, he led a 30-minute meditation sit for the Institute for Jewish Spirituality (IJS) Monday.
Read More »More Meditations of the Heart…Just Rest
Here’s a suggestion. At least for right now, for a few minutes. Take this opportunity to stop wrestling with any of the things that are weighing heavy on your heart at the moment. Just take a Rest.
Read More »Meditations of the Heart
For today’s sit, I offer my favorite teacher Sylvia Boorstein’s invitation, “May I meet this moment fully, may I meet it as a friend.” And as Rabbi Flam suggests, "With practice and over time, the part of the mind that’s all about me can go to sleep a little and the fundamental mind, the heart mind of awareness itself, wakes up and does the meditating."
Read More »Congregation Bonai Shalom Welcomes New Executive Director
Say hello to Stacey Aviva Flint, the new Executive Director at Congregation Bonai Shalom. Stacey is passionate about Jewish African American relationship building and writes nationally on Antisemitism and Jews of Color.
Read More »Elul Comes Into Focus
For most of my life, I didn’t give much thought to the Jewish New Year until I was rushing to get to shul on Erev Rosh Hashanah.
Read More »Boulder JCC Offers Free Virtual Daily Meditation
It doesn’t matter what experience you have or don’t have when it comes to meditation. All are welcome at the daily morning meditation sit being offered virtually by the Boulder JCC.
Read More »Justice, Justice, Shall You Pursue
Rachel Amaru and Delia LaJeunesse are teaming up to launch the Children’s Book Initiative, an effort to get racially-conscious books in the hands of the children who need them most.
Read More »Turning Towards TISHA B’AV
Tisha B’Av can be a wake-up call, a gentle knock on our inner door. A chance to reframe our personal narratives and our communal stories.
Read More »Who Says Self-Compassion Isn’t Jewish??
When we were talking to a friend recently about the concept of self-compassion, and our desire to cultivate more of it in our post-retirement years, he let out a big laugh.
Read More »Parashat Chukat & Me
There is a lot of drama and emoting going on in Parshat Chukat.
Read More »Mensches Worth Mentioning: Marilyn Pinsker
Marilyn Pinsker has been making things with her hands — knitting, crocheting and doing needle work, for as long as she can remember.
Read More »The Crescent’s Gift
A poem in celebration of Rosh Chodesh Tammuz written by by dear friend Julie Oscherwitz Grant.
Read More »Mensches Worth Mentioning: Elisa Greenberg
The first time Elisa Greenberg volunteered to pick up inmates from the ICE detention center in Aurora, she knew it was an important thing to do. She didn’t realize how personally meaningful is was going to be as well.
Read More »Mensches Worth Mentioning: Caroline Saliman
Imagine what’s in the minds of little children who are being told they need to stay at home from school, can't see their friends, can’t hug their grandparents, and that they have to wear masks, like all the adults around them, when they are outside around others.
Read More »Mensches Worth Mentioning – Gavriel Kleinwaks
Welcome to our new series about people in our community who are volunteering and making a difference in this difficult time.
Read More »Memories for Mother’s Day… Dancing With My Cru
"I wrote this back in 2004, while my mother, Cru, was still alive. At the time, I was 44 years old, and figuring out how to be a good mom to three young children..."
Read More »Smile… Nobody’s Watching
I have been struck by the fact that each time I pass someone on the street, my face covered in a mask, their face covered too, I say hello and smile. Because the masks can muffle sound, often times people don’t hear me say hello, and my smile is hidden, of course, behind the fabric of the mask. As a result, often these days people don’t acknowledge me as we pass each other— at least six feet apart — on the street.
Read More »Motherhood and Isolation
This week’s Torah portion, Tazriah, is a reminder that births are happening while our focus may be on sickness.
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