Al Hanism, 5784
On Hanukkah it’s traditional to add Al Hanisim, “About the Miracles,” to the Amidah and the Grace after Meals. How do we praise God’s miracles in…
Read articleCoaxing Miracles
For the last night of Hanukkah, a meditation on small miracles. Coaxing Miracles Miracles Can start out as Tiny things. Specks of G-d’s love Floating all…
Read articleMeditation for the End of Chanukah
After the eight days — after the Eternal Lamp stayed alight for eight days on one day of oil — the rededicated Temple was back in…
Read articlePraise, Praise
A hallelujah song, with two acrostic paragraphs each spelling the word ‘praise.’ It’s also a salute to the psalms of praise in Jewish liturgy known as…
Read articleThe Season of Dedication
When the Maccabees finally won back the Temple for the Jewish people, it took eight days to clean and consecrate the holy space. Chanukah derives from…
Read articleMa’oz Tzur for Pittsburgh
This prayer/poem rendition of Ma’oz Tzur anticipates the contrasting emotions of a joyous festival against the backdrop of the largest antisemitic attack in U.S. history. Ma’oz…
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