High Holidays - Mindful Judaism - Jewish Meditation and Contemplative Judaism

July 20, 2018August 2, 2018

Preparing for the High Holidays: Broken Spirit, Broken Heart (Ru’ach Nishbarah, Lev Nishbar)

Over the past month or two, it has taken me some time to write about Tisha B’Av and preparing for the High Holidays, the sacred Jewish liturgical period of the Yamim Noraim, the Days of Awe and Wonder.

This is in part because of the day to day stresses and changes of life, but also because I have been genuinely wrestling with the meaning and place of brokenness and sacredness, new beginnings and endings, and sacrifice and atonement, especially from the perspective of a contemporary 21^st Century Jew and American Zen practitioner. Continue reading “Preparing for the High Holidays: Broken Spirit, Broken Heart (Ru’ach Nishbarah, Lev Nishbar)”

March 25, 2018March 25, 2018

Rabbinic Judaism and Halachah: One Fence too Many?

Rabbinic Judaism and Halachah - One Fence to Many

Over the past few months, I’ve been studying and practicing with the ideas, thought, and innovations of Jewish history. I especially marvel at the creativity of Rabbinic Judaism just following the destruction of the 2^nd and final Temple in Jerusalem. This makes me wonder about the constant unfolding of Jewish history and tradition. Is there a period of Jewish life after Rabbinic Judaism? What comes next? Continue reading “Rabbinic Judaism and Halachah: One Fence too Many?”

January 21, 2018March 2, 2018

“Engaged” Judaism: Is God a Liberal? Or a Conservative?

The other week, I was listening to a podcast on Jewish Mindfulness. It was an interesting and foundational interview and really made me think about the future of Judaism, more specifically, the future and direction of Jewish Mindfulness, what an engaged Judaism looks like, and to even ask the question if God is a liberal or a conservative? Continue reading ““Engaged” Judaism: Is God a Liberal? Or a Conservative?”

January 5, 2018February 16, 2018

Happy New Year 2018 from Mindful Judaism!!

Happy New Year! We would like to wish you a wonderful and healthy 2018 filled with blessings, joy, and satisfaction!

Thank you all for your support and encouragement since the development and launch of Mindful Judaism! We are off to an excellent start and look forward to more to come!

Some exciting news for the upcoming year include Continue reading “Happy New Year 2018 from Mindful Judaism!!”

December 19, 2017March 2, 2018

The Chanukah Miracle: Not by Might, Not by Power, But By My Breath

A few hundred years before the events of Chanukah, Alexander the Great expanded his lands and the Hellenistic worldview from the city state of Macedon to one of the largest empires ever to exist in the world, reaching from the Aegean and Egypt to as far as India.

Just like today, the Judean world was replete with struggles and tensions about how to practice Judaism – a religion that has always been small in number – in a genuine and heartfelt way while living in the broader community and world. Continue reading “The Chanukah Miracle: Not by Might, Not by Power, But By My Breath”

September 23, 2017October 12, 2017

Rosh Hashanah: A Jewish Mindfulness Holiday of Waking Up

Rosh Hashanah is one of the most special and sacred holidays in the Jewish liturgical calendar. It is the Jewish New Year and the beginning of the Jewish High Holidays, but what is it really about? And how do mindful Jews understand this special and most sacred new beginning?

Rosh Hashanah is a holiday of waking up. We awaken from the deep slumber of selfishness, conceit, and putting ourselves above others – perhaps one way of understanding traditional notions of sin – and awaken to something different.

On Rosh Hashanah, the Divine calls out to wake us up from the darkness of ignorance Continue reading “Rosh Hashanah: A Jewish Mindfulness Holiday of Waking Up”