Daily Kavanot
Writings of reflection by the Stephen Wise Temple clergy.
Each weekday morning, members of our mailing list receive the “Daily Kavanah,” which includes messages of thought, inspiration, and contemplation from our clergy, along with a schedule of events. Every Thursday, the “Daily Kavanah” turns into “Eyes on Wise,” our weekly newsletter featuring the latest news, photos, videos, stories, and tikkun olam opportunities from our community. Sign up and don’t miss out!
Daily Kavanah – Tuesday, June 22, 2021
This Shabbat, we will read Parashat Balak, which features—among other things—a talking donkey. According to rabbinic legend, that donkey was one of ten magical items created at twilight before the first Shabbat. For some summer fun this week, we’ll explore some of those symbols and what they might teach us today. Today is the [[DATE REDACTED]] anniversary of my bat mitzvah. Just a couple of years ago, I ascended the bimah at Temple Shaaray Tefila in New York City, and chanted the words not of Balak, which we’ll read this Shabbat, but of Chukat, which we read this past Shabbat. As some of our b’nai mitzvah students can surely imagine, I remember complaining to my rabbi that there really was nothing in this Torah portion that I found interesting...somehow I missed some key plot points. Another of the items created at twilight, the rabbis teach, is the well of water which sustained [...]
Daily Kavanah – Monday, June 21, 2021
This Shabbat, we will read Parashat Balak, which features—among other things—a talking donkey. According to rabbinic legend, that donkey was one of ten magical items created at twilight before the first Shabbat. For some summer fun this week, we’ll explore some of those symbols and what they might teach us today. Anyone who has spoken to me over the course of this pandemic could probably tell you that I am obsessed with my local Buy Nothing group. Founded on Bainbridge Island, WA (where I did a student pulpit during rabbinical school—though that fact is unrelated), Buy Nothing groups are hyperlocal communities built on the concept of a barter economy. Nothing can be purchased or sold; the gifts offered must be of your own abundance. Participants can offer gifts of time or skill, such as an offer to run an errand for someone who might be homebound, or offer their expertise [...]
Daily Kavanah – Friday, June 18, 2021
Over forty years ago, the Wise community began its extraordinary foray into the education of children. Before any Reform Jewish institutions even considered the possibility of sponsoring their own day schools, Wise blazed a trail into the education of children in a Reform Jewish context. Thousands of children have experienced the stellar enrichment that combined Jewish identity with an exceptional secular education. Our dedication to the next generation of Jewish children has been paramount and front and center for our community. Even as we continue to emphasize the continuing growth of our Jewish children, the Wise community has dedicated ourselves to all children in our broader community. We have supported The People Concern (formerly Ocean Park Community Center) and its work with children, we’ve sponsored the children of Beit Issie Shapiro in Israel, and some of our students have volunteered at School on Wheels. Ten years ago we opened our fourth school: Wise Readers to Leaders. [...]
Daily Kavanah – Thursday, June 17, 2021
This week, we have invited Wise members who have been Court Appointed Special Advocates to tell us about the meaningful work they’ve done to help kids who are at the margins of our society by giving them a voice and an ally. Learn more about becoming a CASA at our interest meeting on June 24. Writing Essential History Reports and being part of the CASA program has allowed me to make a difference in the lives of children in the foster care system, while also giving me flexibility as a wife, mom of two teenagers, and part-time substitute teacher. Becoming a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) is by far one of the most rewarding experiences I have had as a volunteer. I know that each and every hour I put into working on a report, I have the ability to positively impact a child’s life! — Julie Weinstein
Daily Kavanah – Wednesday, June 16, 2021
This week, we have invited Wise members who have been Court Appointed Special Advocates to tell us about the meaningful work they’ve done to help kids who are at the margins of our society by giving them a voice and an ally. Learn more about becoming a CASA at our interest meeting on June 24. I was assigned to a one-year-old baby girl who was living in foster care. Her mother, Lisa, had been in jail for a year and was recently released when I came into the picture. I spent time with Lisa and her child for a few years advocating for Lisa to have her child rightfully returned to her. After many court dates, Lisa and her baby were successfully reunited. Ordinarily this would be the job of a social worker, but the system is so overwhelmed that there are just too few social workers for so many foster [...]