Blessing of the Jewish Pets 10-30-2011

This morning, we went to the most fun religious ceremony EVER! The ceremony was for all the Jewish pets out there. The main thing we did was hug our sweet little dog and tell her how much we love her. We love you Porcher!

I did some reading about this ritual. Here's a great explanation of the tradition:

“We celebrate the wonderful variety of animals in our lives.”

“The wonderful dogs and all their joy and energy, the amazing cats who rule us and are our masters, our gerbils and hamsters and bunny rabbits and fish, the birds that flap in the cages wishing they were free but loving to be with us, and from the ant farms and the earthworms to all of the animals that make our lives joyous, we celebrate them.

… We celebrate each of them and all the joy they bring to us and thank G-d for the blessing that they provide our lives."

• The Barking Blessed
  
• Jews Adopt Blessing of the Animals Ceremonies and Make Them Their Own
  
• Interview With a Vegetarian Who Attended a Jewish Blessing of the Animals Ceremony
  

Jewish Pets to Be Blessed - 10-30-2011

I'm so jazzed! On Sunday, October 30, 2011, at Temple Shalom in Colorado Springs, there will be a Blessing of the Pets!

I did some reading about this ritual. Here's a great explanation of the tradition:

“We celebrate the wonderful variety of animals in our lives,” said Rabbi Mark Kaiserman during the service, interspersing standard havdalah prayers with thanksgiving for animals.

“The wonderful dogs and all their joy and energy, the amazing cats who rule us and are our masters, our gerbils and hamsters and bunny rabbits and fish, the birds that flap in the cages wishing they were free but loving to be with us, and from the ant farms and the earthworms to all of the animals that make our lives joyous, we celebrate them.

… We celebrate each of them and all the joy they bring to us and thank G-d for the blessing that they provide our lives."

• The Barking Blessed
  
• Jews Adopt Blessing of the Animals Ceremonies and Make Them Their Own
  
• Interview With a Vegetarian Who Attended a Jewish Blessing of the Animals Ceremony
  

Shabbat Shalom!

It's Time to Say Good Shabbos is one of my favorite Abie Rotenberg songs.

I am going to "try" to celebrate Shabbos. Tonight our family will sit down together for a Shabbat dinner and light Shabbat candles. We will eat Challah and drink some grape juice. Tomorrow, I will "try" to not do too much work and think about G-d.

Shabbat Shalom!

What Jews Believe

I stumbled on this website today. I am posting the link here since I don't want to not be able to find it again. There's so much information there!

• What Jews Believe

Here's also a very good summary from Judaism.About.com:

• What Do Jews Believe?
  
  

Hike With Jewish Women's Social

My rock singer observant Jewish friend organized a hike for Jewish women this past Sunday into the mountains above Manitou Springs, Colorado. My daughter, Rebekah and I, went and it was a fabulous experience.

Being in the mountains and being with other Jewish women was a great way to connect with G-d on a Sunday! There's something about being outside that gives me so much joy. There really is something to "Hiney Matov Umah Nayim Chevet Ahim Gam Ya Had" (sorry about the spelling!)

Simcha Torah

Tonight, my family got to march around the synagogue with Torahs and wave flags! It was so cool. We also all got to go up to the bimah and do the Aliyah blessings. It is mind boggling to think that in synagogues all over the world people were celebrating! What a fun holiday!

• What Is Simchat Torah?
  

Quote about friends and enemies - My thoughts and rambles

I saw this quote yesterday:

It is better to have an ENEMY who honestly says they hate you than to have a FRIEND who's putting you down SECRETLY."

This thought made me think. I hope that I don't have any friends that put me down secretly. It hurts to even think about that.

What really bothers me is that I have a dear friend that I love so much, but she "drives me crazy" sometimes. The thing is, I tell another friend, who also loves her, that my friend "drives me crazy." Does that mean I'm putting her down?

Here's another thought: During the summer, I found out that one of my son's friends was making fun of me behind my back because of the things I post on Facebook. I was so, so hurt. I was given this information from the friend that "drives me crazy." She passed on information to me that hurt. Did I need to hear about someone wanting to make fun of me?

Changing my thoughts slightly:

Today, I remembered something that happened over 20 years ago. I was approached by a rabbi after I spoke about Passover in at church for JFJ. He said, "These people are not your friends; come back to Judaism."

His words are ones I will never forget. That's what I wanted to do. I wanted to be "just plain Jewish."

All these years, yes, I've tried so very hard to do just that: to be Jewish , but...I've hung on to all the people I knew from "before." Facebook made it worse. People that I forgot existed, who I once knew from my religious past, have become connected to me through the internet and Facebook.

I wondered when I first joined Facebook, if I should have opened myself up to people I knew from "then," but I decided to accept anyone who "friended me."

"Seeing" them again and hearing what they had to say, for awhile, made me think that maybe I was wrong to want to seek G-d as a Jew. I wanted to keep the "door" slightly open.

The only thing is, my desire to be Jewish means to some people that I'm not tolerant of those who seek God in a different way than I do. Some may even think that I am putting them down behind their backs. That is far from true.

I love and respect so many of the people that have loved me and been a part of my life. We may not agree on the what is the way to God, but I am so thankful for you. Although I may be keeping my distance lately, please know that I'm glad you are still there.

A Jewish Journey

Wow..what a wonderful story! It makes me cry tears of happiness!

Thanks

I saw this poem on Facebook, and I've decided to comment on it here.

The first line is:

"Thanks to those who hated me, you made me stronger."

Well, I'm not sure if anyone has ever hated me personally. How would I know? People don't usually approach you directly and say, "I hate you." They may not like what you are about or what you stand for, but hate is such a strong emotion.

Anyway...

I'll skip commenting on that line and comment on the rest of this poem.

• Thanks to those who loved me, you made my heart go fonder.
• Thanks to those who cared, you made me feel important.
• Thanks to those who entered into my life, you made who I am today.
• Thank to those who left, you showed me that nothing lasts forever.
• Thanks to those who stayed, you showed me true friendship.
• Thanks to those who listened, you made me like I was worth it.

These are really nice thoughts.

I hold on to friendships. I remember someone told me once that I hold on too long and too tight. Instead of "letting go," I hold on. I don't like good-byes.

I've been advised recently and I was advised long ago that I need to let go of certain people that think about God in a different way than I do. I keep thinking about that advice. I just can't do that...I just can't.

Since I can't let go...I keep trying to please those I care about. I don't want to disappoint those who care about me. It's hard to know which "road" to take.

What's happened in my spiritual search won't go away and I just want to say "Thanks" to everyone who has touch my life. I know you are there and I do appreciate you!

I'm Home! (Well, I think the journey is over...)

When I was a kid, I remember being part of a school play called The Bluebird of Happiness. It was about two children who searched and searched all over the world trying to find the Bluebird of Happiness. They went everywhere. Finally, they gave up and returned home. When they arrived home, the bluebird was in their own house all the time! What they had looked for was right at their door.

Tonight and last night, I attended Yom Kippur services. At the end of tonight's service, something told me that I was HOME. I don't need to search any further.

I realized that my search for answers and truth have been with me all along. Judaism is a part of me. My love and interest in God began as a child when my parents enrolled me in religious school at a reformed Jewish temple. I truly was excited about G-d then and I'm excited about G-d now!

I do not need to leave Judaism to find or relate to God. I know God is watching over me and my family. I do know now that what I've looked for is right at my door!

Yom Kippur

I've never really understood Yom Kippur.

I just read that all Jews are like angels for a day since the focus is on God. Just as angels stand upright, there is standing standing in the synagogue on Yom Kippur. We should wear white on Yom Kippur. Just like angels do not eat or drink, we fast on Yom Kippur.

This video below gives some interesting insights.

Further Reading:

• ABCs of Yom Kippur - From AISH.com
• Yom Kippur In 60 Minutes or Less - From Partners In Torah
  

Resistance Is Not Futile

This post will be short.

Resistance is NOT futile.

Those who know what I'm talking about will understand what I'm about to say:

I have decided that I WILL NOT be assimilated.....I AM Jewish and I like being Jewish.