Tenth Anniversary Concert Thank you for joining us! You may know Sulam as a party band. Usually we play upbeat music together. But in this time of pandemic lockdown, we can’t play together. And we don’t feel as upbeat as we usually do! So, today, we are sharing music on more contemplative themes. Soul. Love.…
Locust: Best Post Ever
So I checked my blog stats! And thus I found my most-read post ever. It’s “Grasshoppers and Locusts: Biblical Power Animals.” Looks like almost 20,000 people read it (so far). On the one hand, it’s just a great post. It’s religious, spiritual, and ecological. And it hints at current events: immigrants, inclusive communities, global locust…
Rachel Barenblat: Poetry, Liturgy & Spiritual Practice
Rachel Barenblat: the interview! I’m so delighted to interview poet and Rabbi Rachel Barenblat! We chatted about poetry, prayer, spiritual practice, and writing. Rachel is spiritual leader of Congregation Beth Israel (Massachusetts), a Founding Builder at Bayit: Building Jewish, and author of the blog Velveteen Rabbi. Writing is a Spiritual Practice Laura: You’re a life-long writer and…
Pray for Peace?
Shalom. Peace. Integration. Wholeness. Hello and goodbye—an entire cycle of welcome. A face of the divine, according to the priestly blessing. And part of the name of a holy city. An aspirational name. Jerusalem, Yerushalayim: yerushat shalom, an inheritance of peace. Jewish liturgy is full of prayers for peace. One famous version closes every Jewish…
Simon, the Worst Brother
Simon, brother of Joseph. Why does Joseph, Viceroy of Egypt, single him out for punishment? To answer, I’ll give some context, then read between the lines. Years ago, Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery. But, through twists and turns of fate, he becomes Viceroy of Egypt. And, in a time of regional famine, Joseph decides who…
Hanukah's Hidden Light
Hanukah has a clear spiritual meaning. On one level, it’s simple. And, on another, it’s mystical. Winter is a dark time. Daylight is short. Night is long. With just a few hours of sun, we humans don’t get enough vitamin D. So we get a little depressed. We need a lift. Something to substitute for…
Tenth Anniversary Party
Imagine my delight when I realized that I have been blogging at Sophia Street for ten years! Now I would like to share that delight with you in a week-long online celebration. Highlights include: Sulam Jewish World Music ensemble concert, January 24. Midweek workshop. Daily blog posts in conversation with other bloggers. Special book giveaways (various…
A Dream of Dad
I dreamed about my late mother. Just a simple dream. I am walking with my mother. But I can’t keep up. So, she is half a block ahead, waiting for me. My late mother is so precious to me. But, when I was young, she was full of grief. And I still carry the scars.…
Lament: I Sang of Love
I sang of love/ of love I sang / I hoped that it would flow/ I sang of you / of you I sang/ but still you didn’t show/ But we’re together in my dreams/ I wonder if you know I sang of hope/of hope I sang/but it was just too late/ I sang of…
Wisdom of Green Hair
Words of wisdom, from my late friend Gwen. “You have green hair.” Of course, I’ll explain. Gwen was part of our life in North Carolina. Back then, we lived “in the buckle of the Bible Belt,” as my spouse Charles likes to say. Our neighborhood was built on the old Billy Graham farm. There was…