mourning

My Mexican Pseudo-Shiva

Since my mom had a history of outliving her prognoses I assumed that this would be the case once again.

Lech-Lecha – One More Layer of Goodbye

In memoriam, for Rabbi Samuel Dresner, HaRav Shumel Chayyim ben Yehuda v’ Malka z”l.

Accepting a Reality We Did Not Anticipate: Lessons from this Week’s Torah Portion

The word for “comfort” (lenahem) in Hebrew can also mean to “regret.” One of the most difficult parts of gaining ...

Spiritual Medicine

Jewish sages decided that intense mourning time should be seven days only.

Find Out About Your Loved Ones

As a rabbi, one of the life-cycle processes I accompany people through is the funeral. When a person dies, burying ...

When A Friend Dies

On extending Jewish mourning rituals to non-traditional mourners.

Falling into Community

In Jewish tradition, sitting shiva is a trust fall.

I’m Too Broken to Write This Blog

Rarely have I been so deeply affected, so deeply wounded inside, so utterly shattered.

From Mourning to Memory: Chasing Balloons, Wearing a Ring

For those of you who wear rings, this probably sounds familiar: you fiddle with your ring, a thousand times a ...

Overcoming Obstacles to Recite Mourner’s Kaddish with Dignity

My father died on Rosh Hashanah 5764. He died at home, in a clean white bed, surrounded by his wife ...