Chayei Sarah · Genesis 23:1–25:18 · Remembering Kristallnacht · Rosh Chodesh Kislev

Putting pen to paper has always been a powerful way for me to connect, and I think it can help all of us connect with what is in our hearts: the gratitude we want to express, the fears we struggle to name, and the hopes we continue to hold. We can write to God, to ourselves, or simply to discover what emerges. Many of my prayers begin with simple doodles. The words don’t have to be polished or complete. Sometimes a single sentence is enough to begin.

This week, I’m sharing several prayers: for kindness, for another year of life, in remembrance of Kristallnacht, and for the new month of Kislev. I hope you’ll find words that speak to your heart—and perhaps feel inspired to put pen to paper and write a prayer of your own.

Kindness, a theme embedded in this week’s Torah portion, Chayei Sarah, is one of my core values. I suspect that’s due in part to Chayei Sarah being my Bat Mitzvah parasha.

The verse in my Torah illumination comes from Abraham’s servant, who offers a blessing after meeting Rebecca: “Blessed is Adonai, who has not withheld His kindness and His truth” (Genesis 24:27).

His gratitude follows an encounter at a well. When he asks Rebecca for a little water, she gives him a drink and offers to draw water for his camels, too. Rebecca notices an opportunity to help and responds with kindness. Her thoughtful offer requires physical effort: she returns to the well, fills her jar, and carries water back again and again.

Giving and Receiving Kindness

Throughout my life, I have tried to emulate the kindness Rebecca embodies. I’ve learned that an act of kindness that feels ordinary to the person offering it can make an extraordinary difference to the person receiving it.

The kindness of a ‘thinking of you’ text, a simple smile, a shared meal, a ride offered, an errand run, or a phone call made after everyone else has stopped checking in can make a huge difference to someone.

While we cannot always know how much another person is carrying, we can notice, ask, and offer something specific. We can begin with one person, one need, one act of care we are able to carry through.

We can also allow others to care for us. There are people in my life who would rather struggle to do everything themselves than ask for help. Many years ago, my friend Elaine said, “It’s okay to let people bless you every now and then, Joanne!” This helped me realize that receiving kindness gives someone else an opportunity to use their gifts.

Here’s my prayer for Parashat Chayei Sarah.

The Light of Kindness

May you find joy on your journey,
and be accompanied by those you love.

May you feel confident in your choices
and willing to learn from your mistakes.

May you grow in compassion and resilience
and use your innate gifts to make a difference for others.

May the generations who came before you
inspire you to be a light in the world
and may you, in turn, always be a source of inspiration.

And, when you’re struggling and feeling less than whole,
may you feel called to reach out in love and friendship
to those who are wrestling with challenges of their own.
A single loving act can change the world!

May the light of your soul shine out in the world as kindness
and may the unspoken prayers of your heart
be answered and fulfilled.

Grateful for Another Year

Last Friday was my birthday, and I celebrated by teaching a class on Visual Midrash at the Shir Chadash retreat, where I was serenaded by so many beautiful voices. It was soul restoring, and I can’t wait for next year’s gathering!

I haven’t been able to respond to all the wonderful birthday wishes and meaningful messages, but I’m grateful to everyone who reached out.

For this birthday, I revisited a prayer I wrote during the pandemic and updated it to reflect my life now. You are welcome to make it part of your own birthday reflection.

Another Trip Around the Sun

Source of Life,

Thank You for the gift of the past year
and the blessings and challenges it held.

I am so grateful for the relationships
that have nourished and sustained me,
and for the love and kindness
and the songs, stories and prayers
that continue to restore my spirit.

Please bless those I love and those they love,
and all who are struggling
with illness, grief, loneliness, or uncertainty.

On my next orbit around the sun,
may the knowledge that
tomorrow is not guaranteed
deepen my appreciation
for my friends and family
and all those who strive
to make a difference in the world.

As I continue to seek connection,
strengthen my ability to be present
and to show up as my best self,
even in challenging circumstances.

Help me stay grounded in gratitude
and experience moments of awe, wonder and joy.

Grant me shleimut—the sense of wholeness
that comes when all I say, do, think, and feel
is in alignment with my core values.

Deploy me in Your service!
Help me discover and fulfill my purpose
and use my gifts and life experience
to make a difference in the world.

Remembering Kristallnacht

On November 9–10, we mark the anniversary of Kristallnacht, the Night of Broken Glass. In 1938, the Nazi regime unleashed a wave of violence against Jews across Germany, annexed Austria, and the Sudetenland. Synagogues were burned, homes and businesses attacked, Jews murdered, and tens of thousands of Jewish men imprisoned in concentration camps. Learn more from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

Kristallnacht marked a major escalation in the persecution that culminated in the Holocaust and the murder of six million Jews. Remembering asks something of us today: to recognize antisemitism, speak out against it, and stand beside those being threatened.

Alongside that responsibility, we continue to nurture Jewish life. We gather to learn, pray, sing, and celebrate. We help create communities where people can find support and belonging, and where Jewish families can live without fear and Jewish children can embrace their heritage with joy.

Here’s my Kristallnacht prayer. As always, you are welcome to share.

Kristallnacht

Shattered glass.
Shattered hopes.
Shattered lives.

A cataclysmic shift
that set the world adrift.

Eerie echoes of the past
the sounds of breaking glass
reverberate through the swirling storm
of rising antisemitism.

Six million extinguished souls
whose stories remain unwritten
whose truths remain untold.

Kristallnacht… Night of Broken Glass.

Your shards,
embedded in our history
reflect a reality
that shatters
our complacency
and the illusion
of security.

Never again,
please God,
NEVER
AGAIN.

Standing With Our Philadelphia Community

This Sunday, November 8, a planned “Boycott Ride” is targeting Jewish- and Israeli-owned businesses in Center City Philadelphia. As someone who lives in a Philadelphia suburb, I want to share ways we can support these members of our community.

The targeting of Jewish businesses on the eve of the Kristallnacht anniversary is deeply troubling. Today’s circumstances differ from those of 1938, but our responsibility to confront antisemitism and stand beside our neighbors remains.

For locals, one concrete way to help is to enjoy a meal at one of these restaurants sometime this month, order takeout, or purchase a gift card for a future visit:

Our support can continue long after this weekend. Invite a friend, introduce someone to a new favorite restaurant, or keep these businesses in mind when planning a gathering.

For current guidance, please read the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia’s update. Federation urges supporters not to engage with protesters and asks out-of-town supporters to postpone traveling into the city this weekend. Its update also offers ways to help from afar.

If you are not in the Philadelphia area, another way to strengthen Jewish communal life is to support Penn Hillel, where Andy and I met when we were in college. A donation helps sustain a place where students can find Jewish community and connection.

Whether you buy someone lunch, support a local business, or contribute to an organization that brings people together, your kindness can become a tangible expression of solidarity.

Welcoming Kislev

Rosh Chodesh Kislev begins at sundown on Monday, November 9, and continues through nightfall on Wednesday, November 11. This year, we observe two days of Rosh Chodesh, welcoming the month in which we celebrate Hanukkah.

As the new month begins, we can choose a practice that helps us bring kindness into daily life: checking on a neighbor, creating something to encourage a friend, or writing a blessing for someone who needs support.

Here’s my blessing for the new month:

May the month of Kislev be a month of blessings:
blessings of light, blessings of hope,
warmth, wonder, and well-being,
comfort, clarity, and calm.

May this new month bring renewed strength
to all who are weary,
companionship to those who feel alone,
and healing to those who are hurting.

May we know the blessings of sacred space
and the embrace of community,
finding healing, resilience, friendship, and love.

May we feel called to nurture sparks of possibility
and use our gifts to illuminate the darkness.

May the light we kindle in our homes and hearts
help us hold on to hope, promote peace
and bring more kindness into the world.

Chodesh Tov!

Guided Journaling Questions

Take a few quiet moments to put pen to paper. Reflect on the kindness you receive, the kindness you can offer, and the prayers taking shape in your heart.

Receiving: What act of kindness has helped you feel restored?
Noticing: Who in your life might appreciate a specific offer of support?
Remembering: How can you honor the past through an action you take today?
Renewing: What practice would you like to begin or return to this month?
Praying: What prayer is in your heart today, waiting to be put into words?

You are welcome to download this kindness journaling page.

Closing Blessing

As you continue to seek connection
and strive to grow into the best person you can be,
may you be accompanied on your journey
by those who uplift, support and encourage you.

May you be guided by the wisdom of your heritage
and inspired by those who are on a similar journey.

May the light of your soul always shine
out in the world as kindness.

May the love in your heart help heal
the wounds of those around you.

May you find a quiet moment each day
to renew your sense of wonder,
to appreciate your blessings
and to give thanks for the opportunity
to make a difference in the world.

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