Virtual Shabbat Box
Your Virtual Shabbat Box holds many ways to celebrate the day. Choose what nurtures you: listen, watch or read.
May 17-18
Wrapping up nearly a decade as CEO of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association, Rabbi Elyse Wechterman chats with Rabbi Deborah Waxman, president & CEO of Reconstructing Judaism, about leadership, managing one’s inbox, the pace of change in Jewish life and the evolving role of rabbi.
LilyFish Gomberg’s guide to counting the Omer focuses on personal growth, reflection and a deeper connection with the world, augmented with selected lyrics by the one and only Taylor Swift.
Interested in stepping away from your screen? Want to gather in person to learn, connect, create new rituals and works of writing or art? Learn about this exciting opportunity in advance of Shavu’ot.
Confused? Looking to untangle where antisemitism and anti-Zionism diverge and overlap? Dive into this thoughtful, engaging and sometimes proactive discussion with Rabbi Tova Spitzer and Rabbi David Teutsch, Ph.D.
May 10-11
Created primarily for educators, these program ideas and reading lists offer myriad ways to explore many perspectives on Israeli Memorial Day and Independence Day in the shadow of war.
Geared At a time when social media is essentially another front in the Israel-Hamas War, Naomi Barnesky’s prayer calls for compassion for self and others in the face of “destruction and closed-mindedness.”
Rabbi Yael Levy’s guide through the Omer will take you on a healing journey.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. This video highlights SAJ’s Mental Health and Resiliency Task Force and how it demonstrates a Reconstructionist approach to Judaism.
May 3-4
Rabbi Phillip Lazowski, who survived the Holocaust as a child, shares about the experiences that have shaped his vision and sense of purpose.
In this powerful poem, Anne R.Z. Schulman, a member of Ritualwell’s ADVOT community of writers, paints a picture of her experiences as a child of survivors.
Ariel Neshama Lee offers a guided meditation that can be used to reflect on the resiliency of our people through difficult times.
Rabbi David Katz shares a prayer to help us remember and to be gentle with our souls.
April 26-27
As we seek rest from the bustle of sederim and the tumult of our times, find comfort in Rabbi Shawn Zevit’s original song calling for a day or even an hour to “Let me cool and recover.”
Rabbi Janet Madden offers a way to express grief and loss at Yizkor with the basic elements of fire, water, salt and stone.
This meditation, created by Ariel Neshama Lee, invites you to embark on a journey of reflection and introspection by focusing on emanations of God described by the Kabbalists as sefirot.
Rabbi Nathan Kamesar reveals what it is like to be a pulpit rabbi and spiritual leader during wartime. Later, Rabbi Maurice Harris discusses all things Moses.
April 19-20
Rabbi Deborah Waxman delves into the nature of freedom, teaching that Passover brings our freedom to life by enacting our highest values and our deepest commitments.
Rabbi Malka Binah Klein’s chant sets the tone for searching for hard-to-find hametz, both physical and metaphysical.
Imagining ourselves into this story involves us in an ever unfolding creating process, write Rabbis Mychal Copeland and Margie Jacobs.
The voices of Jews of Color have largely been missing from the pages of Passover Haggadot. These supplements offer the beginnings of a corrective.
April 12-13
The voices of Jews of Color have largely been missing from the pages of Passover Haggadot. These supplements offer the beginnings of a corrective.
Rabbi Joshua Boettiger, a poet and Mussar teacher, explores how retelling the Passover story illuminates the nature of suffering and has the potential to cultivate empathy.
Rabbi Isaac Saposnik shares poetic wisdom for your seder table about what one can say to our children—and to the adults at a seder held in this confounding year 5784.
The Virtual Passover Box is a trove of digital resources designed to help you experience, and retell, the central story of the Jewish age. These resources enhance all 15 parts of your seder.
April 5-6
The mother of Moses, Aaron and Miriam isn’t given much character development in Exodus. Here, Rabbi Sonja K. Pilz’s stirring poem imagines Yocheved’s voice in its full power and complexity.
With Passover approaching, it’s the perfect time for this blessing for the simple joy of bread. Leavened bread.
During the weekly Ritualwell “Holding Each Other” gathering, Rabbi Shawn Zevitt strums his acoustic guitar, performing an ancient prayer for healing.
Rabbi Rebecca Lillian analyzes the state of antisemitism in Sweden and Denmark, offering both sobering and hopeful observations.
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These resources were drawn from:
- Evolve: Groundbreaking Jewish Conversations
- Hashivenu: Jewish Teachings on Resilience
- Recon Connect Beit Midrash
- Reset: Providing Jewish activists with accessible spiritual practice and teachings
- Ritualwell
- The Center for Jewish Ethics
Previous Virtual Shabbat Boxes by month:
- March 2024
- February 2024
- January 2024
- December 2023
- November 2023
- October 2023
- September 2023
- August 2023
- July 2023
- June 2023
- May 2023
- April 2023
- March 2023
- February 2023
- January 2023
- December 2022
- November 2022
- October 2022
- September 2022
- August 2022
- July 2022
- June 2022
- May 2022
- April 2022
- March 2022
- February 2022
- January 2022
- December 2021
- November 2021
- October 2021
- July 2021
- June 2021
- May 2021
- April 2021
- March 2021
- February 2021
- January 2021
- December 2020
- November 2020
- October 2020
- September 2020
- August 2020
- July 2020
- June 2020
- May 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020
