The URJ Reflection Project: Go Deeper on “The Spiritual”
Making the High Holidays Inclusive and Meaningful
The Binding of Isaac: What if God Had Approached Sarah First?
An Elul Letter of Gratitude to our Clergy, Administrators, and Educators
The Honey Bee and the Apple Tree: A Rosh Hashanah Story
Northeastern University’s Answer to Food Insecurity – A Community Fridge
Blame Ourselves, Not God
Getting to the Bimah in a Wheelchair
The bimah is the heart of a temple's sanctuary – a gathering place for life cycle events, the focus of our High Holiday worship rituals, and the site that draws us together when we seek comfort from pain.
In 2007, I was diagnosed with primary progressive multiple sclerosis. In my case, it has lived up to its name, and has progressively weakened my body from the waist down, leaving me wheelchair bound. With the loss of my mobility, I also lost the ability to be called for an aliyah, to see the open Torah scroll, to participate in Selichot services, and to join with family and friends for birthday and anniversary blessings. For those of us unable to be on the bimah because of a physical disability, it is easy to feel left out of the Jewish community.