Parashat Va’etchanan (Deuteronomy 3:23–7:11), Tu B’Av, ZenScribe Launch
For the past two years I’ve been working on an exciting project–a platform to help clergy and Jewish professionals create affordable personalizable lifecycle certificates, blessings, Judaic graphics, and much more. And we are finally ready to launch– just in time for the High Holy Days. I know it’s a busy time of year, but if you need to create Yizkor booklets, visual tefillah slides, HHD cards, consecration certificates, and other Judaic graphics I invite you to join me for a special Zoom gathering to officially launch ZenScribe.
Whether you officiate at weddings, baby namings, funerals or other life-cycle events; lead services, run a non-profit, volunteer on a synagogue board, or teach in your community, ZenScribe is a great tool that can help you build community, recognize achievements and add meaning—and beauty—to your graphics.
These are just a few of the hundreds of templates I’ve designed for certificates, visual tefillah, greetings, prayers, memorials, and much more.
You’re Invited: ZenScribe Launch Event
Please join me on Tuesday, August 12, at 3:00 pm ET. Register here and I’ll send you the Zoom link.
Parashat Va’etchanan (Deuteronomy 3:23–7:11)
This week’s Torah portion, Va’etchanan, includes one of the most sacred and foundational verses in all of Jewish tradition:
שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל ה’ אֱלֹהֵינוּ ה’ אֶחָד
Shema Yisrael, Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai Echad.
Hear, O Israel: Adonai is our God, Adonai is One. — Deuteronomy 6:4
The Shema is considered the watchword of the Jewish people. It calls us to listen—not only with our ears, but with our whole selves. It invites us to quiet the noise around and within us so we can recognize the Divine presence in our lives and in each other.
My Creative Process
For those who enjoy the knowing how I create my Torah illuminations, the page below, from my next book, Journey Towards the Light — which will be available in January– shows the three different pieces of art that I used to create this design.
A Prayer for Parasha 45: Interwoven Harmonies
May I sanctify quiet moments
as I strive to hear God’s call,
and experience a sense of Oneness
with the Source of All.
May I listen without judging
as tender truths are told,
honor confidences shared,
letting rhythmic unity unfold.
May I write words that resonate,
allowing me to co-create
an undulating symphony
of interwoven harmonies—
melody and poetry,
echoing eternally.
May I sing so deeply
from my heart
that the notes
become a part
of the canvas
of my prayer—
reverberating
with great care—
until silently
my soul
transcends,
and my grateful heart
begins again
to strive to hear God’s call
and experience a sense of Oneness
with the Source of All.
Shabbat Nachamu: A Time of Comfort and Hope
This week also brings Shabbat Nachamu, the first of seven weeks of consolation that follow Tisha B’Av. The name comes from the opening words of the haftarah:
“Nachamu, nachamu ami,”
“Comfort, comfort My people,” says your God. — Isaiah 40:1
After a season of sorrow and loss, Shabbat Nachamu shifts us gently toward healing and hope. It invites us to breathe deeply, reconnect with our inner light, and find strength in sacred community.
Tu B’Av: A Celebration of Love
This Friday night also marks Tu B’Av, a joyful and often overlooked holiday that celebrates love, connection, and new beginnings. In ancient times, it was a day of matchmaking and dancing under the full moon. Today, Tu B’Av is sometimes called the Jewish Valentine’s Day, and offers a beautiful opportunity to reflect on the relationships that bring meaning to our lives—romantic, spiritual, and communal.
Journaling Questions for the Week
- What helps you listen more deeply—to yourself, to others, or to the Divine?
- How do you experience or create harmony in your life?
- Where in your life are you being invited to co-create something meaningful?
- What does sacred community mean to you, and how do you contribute to it?
Closing Blessing
May you hear what needs to be heard—
in the silence, in the song,
in the stillness between words.
May you be comforted by love,
inspired by beauty,
and moved to co-create
interwoven harmonies of hope and healing.