Rev. Chani's Blog

It was a Wednesday afternoon. I had taken the afternoon off to go down to the beach on a day when it isn’t crowded, because I wanted space and because my brain still gets overwhelmed in crowds.  So, there I am sitting on the beach, watching the waves, feeling the breeze, totally in the moment, […]

As this year’s Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year) is approaching, I can’t help but think how intertwined October 7th is with the Jewish high holidays, both in the Gregorian and Hebrew calendars. In the Jewish Calendar, October 7th was on Simchat Torah (a holiday celebrating the Torah). In the Gregorian calendar, it will fall […]

Last Tuesday, September 3rd, we celebrated the new moon and the Hebrew month of Elul. Preceding the Jewish High Holidays and new year, Elul is a time of reflection. We pause to both take accountability of how we showed up the previous year, and we look ahead to contemplate and commit to how we want to […]

This year, on Passover, my family will add a seashell to our seder plate. The kind you put to your ear and listen for the sound of the ocean. It is a new ritual to honor the moment we are in. This year, we want to listen more than speak. We honor that we are all holding truths, we are all in pain, we are all in our own way devastated by what is going on. 

I was speaking to a friend yesterday about my forthcoming book. We were discussing what quote I would like to use on the back cover. My initial thought was a quote from Mary Oliver, “What is it that you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”

Last night, on the fourth night of Chanukah, I sat with family, looking at the flames, eating some latkes. We talked about the holiday and how difficult it was to celebrate this year.