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 1, 2021
Rabbi Sari and I both recently attended a virtual course through the Hadar Institute (a wonderful egalitarian Jewish education organization) around themes of reopening and reunion that are found in our Torah and other sacred texts. I was so grateful to have the opportunity to revisit the Talmudic story of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai—a man who spent many years in isolation—and to read it in a new light after 14+ months of pandemic seclusion and disjointed living. Here is an excerpt from Rabbi Shimon’s story, as taught to us by Rabbi Tali Adler: Shimon bar Yochai spent 12 years in a cave dwelling in reclusion with only his son as a companion. After he re-emerged from his cave, Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair heard of his return and went to greet him. He brought Rabbi Shimon to the bathhouse to tend to his skin, because it had been terribly cracked and [...]
Daily Kavanah – Monday, May 31, 2021
Throughout our country today we commemorate Memorial Day, a day reserved to honor and grieve those who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. Many of us will be gathering with friends and family, perhaps connecting with circles of loved ones from whom we have been separated for many months. Let us use this time earmarked for remembrance as an opportunity to express our gratitude and to share in our bereavement for those who perished in service to our country, to heal from the many wounds of this past year, and to look to the future of our community, our country, and our world with renewed confidence and hope. There is a Jewish custom to light a memorial candle in honor of a loved one on their yahrzeit (the anniversary of their passing) or on special days of remembrance. For those of us thinking of a loved one on this [...]
Daily Kavanah – Friday, May 28, 2021
With the recently signed ceasefire tempering hostilities between Israel and Hamas, I decided to share some thoughts this week about organizations and experiences in Israel that helped broaden my perspective about Israeli society, its relationship to its neighbors, and hopes for the future. As Americans prepare for Memorial Day weekend, I cannot help but look with envy toward Israel, who celebrates Yom HaZikaron—Memorial Day—in the spring, one day prior to Yom Ha’atzmaut—Israeli Independence Day. In a country where everyone knows the pain of losing a loved one, a friend, or a neighbor, the entire nation (with some notable exceptions) mourns on Yom HaZikaron, giving the day an almost palpable feeling of loss. From the countless memorial ceremonies at local schools (to honor those graduates who died in service), to planned visits to cemeteries for family and friends, to a siren that brings the entire country to a halt, Yom HaZikaron [...]
Daily Kavanah – Thursday, May 27, 2021
With the recently signed ceasefire tempering hostilities between Israel and Hamas, I decided to share some thoughts this week about organizations and experiences in Israel that helped broaden my perspective about Israeli society, its relationship to its neighbors, and hopes for the future. How does one broaden her/his/their perspective regarding a conflict that seems to eschew perspective? Perhaps it begins with listening. This is the course of action advocated by Encounter, an insightful nonprofit venture that brings together leaders from the American Jewish community with Israelis and Palestinians to better understand the dynamics of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. During webinars and a four-day seminar in the West Bank, participants are encouraged to listen, without judgment, to apolitical testimonies presented by Palestinian civil leaders, businesspeople, negotiators, and grassroots activists. By doing so, participants gain invaluable access to the nuances and humanity behind the Palestinian-Israeli conflict that are not easily accessible abroad and certainly [...]
Daily Kavanah – Wednesday, May 26, 2021
With the recently signed ceasefire tempering hostilities between Israel and Hamas, I decided to share some thoughts this week about organizations and experiences in Israel that helped broaden my perspective about Israeli society, its relationship to its neighbors, and hopes for the future. One of my most illuminating experiences in Israel came when my classmates from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR) and I were paired with a local IDF unit for shared tours across Israel, including a live fire training exercise and meetings with high-ranking military officers. The firsthand look into IDF culture, procedures, and activities proved enlightening—and I think the IDF soldiers enjoyed having an American veteran along for the ride. Perhaps most revealing and inspiring was a conversation we enjoyed with a retired IDF lieutenant general. He confronted the soldiers and students with a dilemma from his time commanding security operations in the West Bank. After [...]