From the Kabbalah Experience:
We all live within stories, shaped by metaphors and narratives. Sometimes these metaphors serve us well, guiding us toward wisdom and connection. Other times, they hold us back, like a thistle caught in our shoe. How often do we pause to examine these stories? How might we shift our personal and communal narratives to create new, more meaningful ones?
Read more: https://kabbalahexperience.com/we-are-all-storytellers-whats-your-story/
If you need an online place to say Kaddish for your loved ones, join the Nechamah Minyan.
Email to register: https://aleph.org/civicrm/mailing/url/?u=16448&qid=6297817
From Harif UK:
As we approach Passover, the festival which marks the exodus of the Jews from Egypt and celebrates their freedom, three Jews talk about their personal exodus from Arab countries – Lisette Stalbow, forced to flee from Egypt in 1956, David Gerbi, who fled from Libya in 1967, and Nadia, who left Iraq in 1951.
More Info: https://www.harif.org/event/my-exodus/
The Counting of the Omer is a time for spiritual introspection and growth. During a time when many of us are feeling deflated and anxious about the state of the world, this ritual can help us to recharge our Neshamah, our soul.
Ritualwell is here for you! Through the 7-week period of the Omer, we’ll provide you with support, accountability, community and creative inspiration to do this spiritual work.
Every week, we will send you an Omer guide for the upcoming week, aligned with that week’s spiritual theme. This guide will include Jewish wisdom texts, readings, sensory explorations, and creativity prompts for the week. The printable PDF will be sent electronically and can be accessed online. When you sign up for Counting the Omer: A Neshamah Recharge, you are also invited to join us for three special community events throughout the Omer periodom Ritual Well:
Register: https://ritualwell.org/event/counting-the-omer-a-neshamah-recharge/2025-04-16/
From Reconstructing Judaism...
Evolve Web Conversation: The Anti-Environmental Actions of the Trump Administration: How We Can Respond
Wednesday, April 9, 2025 - 1:00 pm EDT
There is no charge required to register for an Evolve web conversation. Participants can interact with the speaker, making comments and asking questions.
Register: ttps://www.reconstructingjudaism.org/event/evolve-web-conversation-the-anti-environmental-actions-of-the-trump-administration-how-we-can-respond/
From Savor:
With Purim this week, this month's cooking video comes from Savor co-director Sarah Aroeste as she shows us how to make Dedos de Aman, a sweet treat for the holiday. Phyllo dough is rolled with nuts and cinnamon into long cylinders to look like Haman's fingers!
To go along with the recipe is a Ladino song called Si veriash a la rana- a song about sisters rolling out phyllo dough and frying up a sweet desert together.
The full recipe, song and lyrics can be accessed from the Savor website here - find them by scrolling down to the very last items on the Savor menu!
From Savor: A Sephardic Music & Food Experience
To spread even more Sephardic Purim fun, we hope you enjoy this bonus video, El Dia de Purim, with a holiday song written by Sarah Aroeste!
Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thT9MdZIxRU
From the Workers Circle, a quick 30 minute lunch or nosh with updates on current events and activism.
Register: https://www.circle.org/events/first-fridaysmarch2025
"We understand the instinct to tune out. This last election was crushing, and every day brings an onslaught of offenses from this White House. Chasing each and every word and action of this president can be exhausting, so instead, focus on whether members of Congress acquiesce to or push back against his demands..."
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Read up on the Jewish Democratic Council of America's policy positions: https://jewishdems.org/our-platform/
Sign up for the newsletter: https://jewishdems.org/
From Aleph:
Come to listen, learn, reflect, enjoy—and maybe even ask a question. A reminder email will be sent before the lecture, including a submission form where you can share your reflections with the search committee. All those registered will receive a recording of the lecture.
We hope you’ll be part of this meaningful conversation!
Register: https://aleph.org/civicrm/event/register/?id=586&reset=1
American Jews should stand up against a movement that coopts a Jewish heroine to attack free speech and queer people, write a rabbi and an LGBTQ+ activist.
Read the Article: https://www.jta.org/2025/03/04/ideas/christian-conservatives-have-appropriated-queen-esther-as-a-symbol-lets-take-her-back
Perverting Queen Esther’s legacy in order to promote hatred over love and pretend to be protectors of justice is infuriating to these queer parents and insulting to all Jews.
As Purim approaches, we call upon our fellow Jews to beware of the masks, resist the lies and uphold our moral and courageous legacy of resilience and resistance. Queen Esther has been celebrated as a heroine over the ages for her defiance of tyranny, pursuit of justice and courage to speak truth to power. It is our spiritual duty and political responsibility to reclaim her.
In the true spirit of Queen Esther — it’s time to speak up.
JIMENA is sharing an important new report released by our partner organization, Justice for Jews from Arab Countries (JJAC), which documents the history, heritage, and forced displacement of Iraqi Jews—one of the world’s oldest and most influential Jewish communities.
Access the full report here for the JJAC report on Iraq: https://justiceforjews.com/iraq-report/
Read the JPost article about it: https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-842742
JIMENA continues to work toward truth, recognition, and justice for Jews from Arab countries and Iran. Thank you for being part of this mission.
Support JIMENA: https://buy.stripe.com/6oE7vaelbdjZasw7ss
Today give a donation, no matter how small, to some Jewish orgs that do work you feel makes the world a better place.
For the past 3 years, the Jews of Ukraine have endured endless attacks. They spend cold days and long nights in bomb shelters, they face extreme financial hardship, they are separated from loved ones, and they are afraid and anxious. Thousands of people lack sufficient food, warm clothing, and medical care. Parents are forced to choose between heat for their home and medicine for their children. The Jews in Ukraine need help today, in order to survive.
Donate: https://jewishreliefnetworkofukraine-bloom.kindful.com/?campaign=1350571
Please make a one-time gift for emergency assistance — to provide food, medicine, heating fuel, and blankets. Your donation will mean the difference between life and death."
For our friends in SF:
As a culinary historian of Jewish Spain, Dr. Hélène Jawhara Piñer mines the rich and varied history of Sephardic cooking from the records of Inquisition trials, medical treatises and medieval cookbooks written in Arabic, Spanish, Portuguese, Occitan, Italian and Hebrew.
She joins Amy Kritzer Becker of What Jew Wanna Eat to discuss Piñer’s latest cookbook, Matzah and Flour, a new collection of 125 meticulously crafted recipes showcasing the transformative power that flour from grains like barley and chickpeas had in sustaining Sephardic families throughout history with savory delicacies and sweet delights.
Tix: https://arts.jccsf.org/matzah-flour-piner
All seating is first come, first served.
Questions? Email support@jccsf.org
Purim is coming!
Join a two-part series with Cantor and performing artist Karen Webber, who will guide you in shaping and crafting an original tale. Karen will share ways to find and utilize stories from fairy tales, folk tales, Jewish texts and other sources and will also teach you how to animate your story by focusing on voice modulation, dynamics, intonation, physicality and the lyrical essence of your words.
By participating in engaging prompts, you will begin to bring your story to life.
This session will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience.
Register: https://ritualwell.org/event/bring-your-story-to-life/2025-03-05/
If it has been on your mind — is this the year you finally learn the basics of Judaism?
Our partners at My Jewish Learning are excited to announce a new online course and interactive community focused on the basics of Jewish life and practice, designed for Jews and anyone interested in learning more about the religion.
You'll dive into topics such as Jewish holidays, traditions, core texts and what it's like being a Jew in the United States today.
When you join, you'll receive live instruction from Rabbi Moishe Steigmann over the course of five class sessions on Zoom, and you'll also gain access to our interactive community space, designed to help you ask questions and communicate directly with your classmates and teacher.
Learn more here and start your journey today: https://www.myjewishlearning.com/judaism-101-an-intro-to-jewish-life-and-practice/
"While the velocity of Trump’s wrecking ball may feel surprising, his steps are clearly outlined in Project 2025, which Democrats warned about in the election to no avail. What may have seemed too abstract in November is now becoming a reality. The dismantling of key government agencies, including the Department of Education, massive tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, and gutting of social services and essential programs that Americans rely on – including Medicare, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act – are all coming soon."
Donate to JDCA: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/jdca
More information: https://jewishdems.org/
Sign a petition: https://secure.everyaction.com/BZp5qDqJkkaFThhE4rbyAQ2
From Reconstructing Judaism:
Tu B'Shvat: Deepening Our Connection to the Natural World
A variety of voices for living with the Earth and its fullness.
Link: https://evolve.reconstructingjudaism.org/deepening-our-connection-to-the-natural-world/
Prayer for Transgender Justice
by Rabbi Emily Aviva Kapor-Mater
https://ritualwell.org/ritual/prayer-for-transgender-justice/
