A couple of days ago, an Orthodox man called my (feminist, queer, trans) spiritual teaching the worst insult he could think of: “idol worship.” He thought my theology and way of life and the wisdom I try to channel was false, evil.
In ancient Hebrew, the word for male is also the word for memory keeper: “zachor.”
What happens when we insist that non-men are also memory keepers?
People be mad sometimes.
But it’s the only way to heal.
It’s the only way of truth.
We are all “zachor.” We are all memory keepers.
Prophetic poem by Lucille Clifton, h/t @elisatamar #poetry #feminist #queer #trans #queertheology #transtheology #hebrewgoddess #remember #herstory #theirstory #spiritualawakening
Emo rabbi clocking in. One of my favorite medieval Jewish stories tells of Rabbi Akiva crying on Shabbat. His students are shocked. They say: “Didn’t you teach us that Shabbat should be a delight?” He replied: “This is my delight.”
I love the sassy rabbi, I love the emo rabbi, but on a deeper level, I love the lesson.
Grief and pleasure move through the same channels. Shabbat is about rest and it is about pleasure but if your channels are clogged with grief, sometimes crying is the most Shabbat-appropriate thing you can do. To rest is to be with what is with love.
Someone on the subway asked me if I was okay today. I smiled and said “Allergies.” But it was a lie. I had been crying, hard. The grief that I’d been keeping at bay had insisted on coming through. And it was a blessing to be with the gift of those tears. And with the tender peace that came after.
Shabbat is an opportunity to release and allow yourself to be held in the Queen’s embrace in whatever state you are in, and to know yourself to be cherished as you are. So if you need to cry, cry. Be with what is with love. Wherever you are, whatever you’re feeling, I hope you get to experience that tonight. #Shabbatshalom 💜
Over 20,000 children have been killed in Israel/Palestine since October 7, 2023: at least 36 Israeli children on October 7 and over 19,964 Palestinian children since then. Every single one of these children was innocent. Every single one had a right to life. @combatantsforpeace_english@standing.together.english
Introducing Rav Jericho Vincent, one of the spiritual leaders who will be guiding us into a mind-opening evening of ritual and transformation during Night Shift: The Shavuot Show! ✨
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Tickets for Night Shift: The Shavuot Show are available now at the link in bio!
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Rav Jericho Vincent is the founding rabbi of Temple of the Stranger, a flourishing Ivri community in Brooklyn, New York. Rav Jericho has been named to the Forward 50, and in 2025 they received the Young History Maker Award from the LGBTQ Religious Archives Network. Their inclusive Kabbalistic teachings can be found on Instagram, @thealef .
✦ Jewish Witches Monthly Ma’agal — Sunday, May 17, 3:30-5 pm ET via Zoom ✦
Beit Kohenet and Temple of the Stranger (@templeofthestranger ) invite you to the next Jewish Witches Ma’agal. Guided by Rabbi Jericho Vincent (@thealef ) and Kohenet Or Har-Gil (@orhargil ), this monthly circle offers an in-depth exploration of the legacy, gifts, and practices of Jewish witches.
For our May Ma’agal, we will be exploring Jewish Witchcraft & Magic 101 with Rav Jericho!
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To expand your learning and support the flourishing of Jewish witchcraft, we invite you to join the Jewish Witches Membership to gain access to a second “deepen your practice” monthly gathering with Kohenet Or, video recordings of each Monthly Ma’agal, a WhatsApp group to connect with people who share your interests, and more!
✦ Register for the Monthly Ma’agal & Jewish Witches Membership at the link in bio.
✦ Cost is a suggested donation. No one will be turned away due to lack of finances. Please reach out to [email protected] for financial assistance.
✦ Welcoming folks of all genders & backgrounds.
#BeitKohenet
#TempleOfTheStranger
#JewishWitches
#JewishWitchcraft
#JewishMagic
Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (1924-2014) was no ordinary rabbi. Over the course of his colorful, countercultural life, he experimented with hallucinogens, designed a rainbow tallit, discussed the Jewish diaspora with his holiness the Dalai Lama, sang ancient hymns to the tune of “Amazing Grace”—and, in the process, transformed the landscape of American Judaism.
The story of Reb Zalman’s life can be told as a series of encounters. Born in Poland and raised in Vienna, he fled the Nazis as a teenager and found his way to an internment camp in Marseille—where a chance encounter with the eventual Lubavitcher Rebbe set him on the path to becoming a Hasidic rabbi.
Years later, a hallucinogenic encounter with Timothy Leary introduced Reb Zalman to a wider spiritual world. Leaving the Chabad movement behind, he committed himself to seeding a mystical Jewish Renaissance—ultimately founding the Jewish Renewal and Havurah movements, authoring numerous books on Kabbalah and Hasidism, and inspiring generations of Jews and seekers worldwide.
Order the book at the link in our bio or visit:
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This edition presents an updated version of the original text, alongside essays by four contemporary Jewish thinkers—Rabbi Shaul Magid, Rabbi Tirzah Firestone (@tirzahfire ), Rabbi Jericho Vincent (@thealef ), and Arthur Kurzweil (@arthur_kurzweil )—reflecting on Reb Zalman’s enormous impact, and guiding contemporary readers into his paradigm-shifting worldview.
There is a tradition that after we welcome in the Shabbat Queen, as we stand amidst the Shabbat angels, we bless our children—both biological children and inner children—placing our hands on their heads or our hearts. Here’s the text from our incantation sheet for tonight’s @templeofthestranger ceremony. If Judaism is not your ancestry, you can substitute in the names of your own wise ancestors. I send you and your children—biological or inner—blessings of peace. #shabbatshalom
Because I grew up in a religious cult so many of the experiences of parenting free kids is new to me. I am so grateful for every challenge and every laugh with my partner @benashblum and our kids.
