L'Shanah Tovah! For a Good Year!

 “The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing. One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure of reality. It is enough if one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery every day. Never lose a holy curiosity.” - Albert Einstein

If you know me or have read my words here before you probably have noted that I don't consider myself a traditional member. I follow that which speaks to my heart, soul or resonates with love and joy for me. I feel that Yom Kippur is a very sacred, holy time. The Day of Atonement, at-one-ment. Maybe I just love the idea of having a time of reflection, forgiveness, and starting new. Yes, I know that could be any moment or any day. Yet, this day a large community joins with me or I with them in recognizing this.

Thank You to:

Jewish Federation Televsion, Nashuva of Los Angeles, Rabbi Naomi Levy, and the Nashuva Band for an inspirational Kol Nidre Service last night

To Our Jewish Community.org, Congregation Beth Adam of Loveland, Ohio, Rabbi Robert B. Barr, Rabbi Laura Baum for a lovely morning Yom Kippur service.

Thank You to Congregation B'nai B'rith of Santa Barbara, Rabbi Stephen Cohen, Cantor Mark Childs, Ass't Rabbi Alyson Solomon, and Ustream for a beautiful afternoon service.

I grateful to all who allowed these services to be offered online. I feel very blessed to have been able to share them.

The following are excerpts that I want from the A Supplement to the High Holiday Prayerbook from Tikkun magazine including some of the prayers for forgiveness that resonated with me:

"On the Jewish High Holidays, or whenever we are doing repentance
work, we take collective responsibility for our own lives and for the
activities of the community and society of which we are a part. We
affirm our fundamental interdependence and inter-connectedness."


For the sin of not recognizing and celebrating the beauty and
grandeur of the universe that surrounds us;
For the sin of not seeing the spirit of God in others;
And for the sin of not recognizing and nurturing the spirit of God
within ourselves;
For the sin of not praying, meditating, or giving adequate attention
to the needs of our soul;
And for the sin of focusing only on our sins and not on our
strengths and beauties;
For the sin of not transcending ego so we could see ourselves as we
are: manifestations of God’s loving energy on earth.

For the sin of being jealous and trying to possess and control those
we love;
And for the sin of being judgmental;
For the sin of withholding love and support;
And for the sin of doubting our ability to love and get love from
others;
For the sin of insisting that everything we do have a payoff;
And for the sin of not allowing ourselves to play;
For the sin of not giving our partners and friends the love and support
they need to feel safe and to flourish;
And for the sin of being manipulative or hurting others to protect
our own egos.

"For all our sins( when we have missed the mark), may the Force that makes forgiveness possible forgive us, pardon us, and make atonement possible." (Ve’al kulam Elohai Selichot, selach lanu, mechal lanu, kaper lanu.)

blessed - inscribed - purified - sealed

seeds of new year planted
remembering each day is fresh

heart opening to change

L'Shanah Tovah!