Virtual Programs

Date: Saturday, February 26

Time: 8 pm EST (5 pm PST)

Cost: Pay-what-you-can

Led by: Rabbi Geela Rayzel Raphael and friends

As more of our friends, colleagues, teachers in Jewish Renewal transition to the higher realms of the world beyond, join Rabbi Geela Rayzel Raphael and friends for a memorial tribute program to keep their memories and teachings alive and honor their contributions.

Featuring stories and memories of the following who have passed:

Rabbi Devorah Bartnoff z”l

Maggid Yitzhak Buxbaum z”l

Rabbi David A. Cooper z”l

Rabbi Aryeh Hirschfield z”l

Lisa Kapin z”l

Hazzan Richard Kaplan z”l

Rabbi Shoni Labowitz z”l

Cantor Chaim Rothstein z”l

Rabbi Hanan Sills z”l

Rabbi Mem Movshin z”l

Rabbi Pauline Tamari z”l

Rabbi Sarah Tauber z”l

Rabbi David Wolfe-Blank z”l

Hazzan Susan Wehle z”l

Rabbi David Zeller z”l

…and more

To share a teaching, musical piece, or impactful story, please reach out to Rabbi Geela Rayzel directly at rrayzel@shechinah.com.

Date: February 16, 2022
Time: 7:30pm Eastern (4:30pm Pacific)
Cost: $18
Led by:Rabbi Debra Smith and Sister Eleanor Francis

Description:

The Nechamah Minyan was started in January 2021 by Reb Geela Rayzel Raphael as a place to say kaddish (Jewish prayer for the dead) for her mom, Natalie Robinson, (Nechama Leah bat Elke v’Chayim). 

For Jews in mourning, it is traditional to say daily Kaddish in a minyan, which is a group of 10 or more persons. All who mourn, who are honoring yahrzeits, or who wish to participate in the mitzvah of making a minyan, are invited to join this important program.

If you would like to register, please reach out to Rabbi Geela Rayzel Raphael at rrayzel@shechinah.com.

If you are looking to attend a minyan taking place that evening, please contact Rabbi Geela Rayzel by 6 pm EDT.

If you’d like to be on the last-minute text list (to be contacted to participate in the mitzvah of making a minyan, in the case not enough are gathered) please reach out to Rabbi Geela Rayzel at the email above.

If you’d like to lead one of the evenings (creative, traditional, and all types of services are welcome!) please reach out to Rabbi Geela Rayzel at the email above.

If you would like to express your gratitude for this type of program, please feel free to make a donation HERE.

Dates: Wednesdays, see below schedule for full dates
Times: 1 – 3 pm EDT (10 am – 12 pm PDT)
Cost: Three session units: $180 per unit
Four session units: $240 per unit
Instructor: Hazzan Diana Brewer

Description: Have you been wanting to learn to chant from the Torah? Haven’t chanted Haftarah since you turned 13? Are you haunted by the melodies of Lamentations? Join Hazzan Diana Brewer for a journey through the music of the Hebrew Bible. We will make the journey in a series of units to learn the music of the six different systems of Ashkenazi trop.

There’s more to trop than the beautiful melodies! We will begin with a three-week unit, delving into the core structure of trop, revealing the layers of meaning it holds. This first unit (or previous study of this material) is a prerequisite to all other units, and will be offered once*. We will continue over the course of the academic year with four-week units on the music of Torah, Haftarah, Esther, Festival Megillot, Eicha, and High Holy Days. If you already know Torah trop, but are hoping to chant Megillat Esther in the spring, that’s fine. With the exception of the prerequisite opening unit, participants are welcome to sign up for any of the units they are called to. Once you register for Unit 1, you will receive access to register for units 2 through 7.

Who should take this journey? It is open to anyone who wants or needs to know the music of the Hebrew Bible. Musical units will cover lots of ground pretty quickly, so it is best if you have some facility with learning and singing music. Ability to read music, while helpful, is not required. Recorded materials will be available. Ability to “decode” Hebrew is a must.

What do I need? We will be working with “Chanting the Hebrew Bible” Student Edition by Josh Jacobson. This text is available at thriftbooks.com, AbeBooks.com, barnesandnoble.com, and Amazon. (E-Book not recommended) Also recommended, but not required, is Hebrew Grammar Guides: Study Aids for Basic Hebrew Grammar Skills by Rabbi Miles B. Cohen and Leslie Rubin.

*Contact Hazzan Diana at dbrewer@aleph-ordination.org if you are unsure if you meet the prerequisite.

SCHEDULE:

Unit 1: Core Structure
(THIS UNIT IS A PREREQUISITE TO ALL OTHER UNITS.)
September 29, October 6, and October 1

Unit 2: Torah
October 27, November 3, November 10, and November 17

Unit 3: Haftarah
December 1, December 8, December 15, and December 22

Unit 4: Esther
January 19, January 26, February 2, and February 9

Unit 5: Festival Megillot
March 2, March 9, March 16, and March 23

Unit 6: Eicha
March 30, April 6, April 13, and April 27

Unit 7: High Holy Days
May 11, May 18, May 25, and June 1

Date and Time: Every Wednesday, 11:30 am EDT (8:30 am PDT)
Cost: Pay-what-you-can
Presenter: Rabbi Anne Brener

Description: Overwhelmed with stress from social distancing, quarantine, and COVID-19? Join Rabbi Anne Brener for a chanting and meditation service, using the structure of the morning service, to calm our bodies and connect our souls. There will be time for some check-in afterward.