Since 2003, Rachel Barenblat has blogged as The Velveteen Rabbi. Ordained as a rabbi and spiritual director, she serves Congregation Beth Israel and is a founding builder at Bayit: Your Jewish Home. Her books of poetry include 70 faces: Torah poems (Phoenicia, 2011) and Texts to the Holy (Ben Yehuda, 2018).
Even a donkey knows that Instead of cursing refugees to return to the unsafe places from which they fled, we should be blessing them with welcome, safety, and dignity.
The waiting period allows time for spiritual reflections before starting life on my own.
Trying to accept my body in a world that tells me that only perfect bodies are desirable.
Sometimes just finding the faith to be hopeful is a leap towards freedom.
I'm glad my son is so happy with his dad's new partner... but sometimes the reminder makes me feel lonely.
Judaism is a home we both inherit and get to co-create.
During the Jewish holiday season we plan spiritual seeds. The stillness afterwards is when they grow.
There is one exception to the requirement to grant forgiveness during the High Holy Days.
The Three Weeks are a reminder that allowing ourselves to fully feel the brokenness in our lives fosters more complete healing.
Although divorce changes things about your life, the basic structure remains. The real work lies in repairing what you already have.