Parashat Toldot invites us to explore the threads of legacy, blessing, and becoming. This week, as I illuminated Genesis 26:4, I found myself reflecting on the promise of light woven through our lineage—a reminder that even in complicated stories, hope continues to shimmer across generations. Toldot encourages us to cultivate consciousness: to notice the guidance we receive, the patterns we carry, and the choices that help us step more fully into who we are becoming.
As we enter the month of Kislev and approach Thanksgiving, we are invited into a season of light, gratitude, and possibility. This week’s prayers, blessings, journaling prompts, and reflections offer an opportunity to pause, connect, and kindle hope—within ourselves and with those we love.
Illustrated Prayer
The Light of Kindness
This week’s Torah portion, Chayei Sarah, has always held special meaning for me — both because it was my Bat Mitzvah parasha and because kindness is one of my core values. In this portion, Rebecca’s generous act of drawing water not only for Abraham’s servant but also for his ten camels becomes a turning point in the unfolding story. Her kindness is wholehearted, intuitive, and transformative — a reminder that small, genuine acts can change the world.
As I accompany my daughter through her recent diagnosis of stage four, triple-negative breast cancer, I’ve been deeply touched by the kindness of our community. Your messages, prayers, and gestures of support have strengthened and comforted us during this difficult time. I would be grateful if you would keep Sam — Shira Natanya bat Yocheved — in your Mi Shebeirach prayers.
This week’s illustrated prayer, The Light of Kindness, invites us to let our souls shine through compassion and connection. I hope it brings comfort, inspiration, and a sense of blessing to your week.
Showing up in Love; Planting Seeds of Legacy
This week’s Torah portion, Vayeira, reminds us that faith and legacy often take root in the simple act of showing up. When Abraham plants a tamarisk tree, he establishes a living covenant — a promise that continues to grow long after him. My prayer Seeking Connection begins with the word Hineini — “Here I am” — and that sacred readiness has become my mantra as I accompany my daughter on her cancer journey. I can’t control the path ahead, but I can choose how I show up in this moment: with love, courage, and faith. Each prayer, each act of compassion, is a seed we plant — our legacy in the making.
Lech Lecha — Trusting the Journey
“Lech Lecha — Go forth to the land that I will show you.”
This week’s Torah portion invites us to trust the journey, even when the destination is unknown. In this week’s reflection, I share my illustration of Genesis 12:1, the prayer Not Knowing from my soon-to-be-released book Illuminated Journey, and a new illustrated prayer, Journey.
I also share information and resources about BRCA awareness in the Jewish community — and ask for prayers for my daughter, Samantha Trattner (Shira Natanya bat Yocheved), who is courageously navigating her own unexpected journey.
Rainbow Promise
Holding On to Hope “My rainbow I have placed in the clouds, and it shall be for a sign of the covenant between Myself and the earth.” Each year when we read Parashat Noach, I am reminded that rainbows appear only after the rain. The story of the flood is one of devastation and renewal—a reminder […]
In the Liminal Space Between Endings and Beginnings
Each year on Simchat Torah, we complete the reading of Deuteronomy and immediately begin Genesis, stepping into the liminal space between endings and beginnings. This sacred turning invites us to hold joy and sorrow, grief and hope, as we remember, reflect, and renew our connection to the Divine and to one another.