Healing

Healing is on our minds. It’s on our minds because we seek healing for ourselves and for others. Even if we have been spared the challenges of serious illness or trauma, we are witnessing acts of violence and suffering that impel us to seek recovery and cure, for our families, our society, and the larger eco-system of which we are a part. Healing is our prayer, the much-wished-for phase after trauma and illness.

I approach the subject of healing from two perspectives. First, as a scholar of Jewish culture. What does Jewish culture have to do with healing? Our culture shapes us in so many ways; it shapes us as children, and it shapes our everyday lives. Of late, I have begun to seek out the aspects of classical Jewish teachings that contain life-affirming aspects. In other words, I have begun to think about religion as remedy. In my book, Mother’s Milk, I center the first months and years of life in the making of a person, and in the making of a Jew. Can the culture of childrearing provide life-affirming remedies for our children in this time?

Next week, I am participating in a book event at Urban Adamah in which I will bring these ideas into conversation with early childhood education expert, Janet Harris. I plan to put health and healing at the top of our discussion. Please join us, virtually or in person (link).

I also approach healing from the perspective of homeopathy. This month I will be hosting a zoom conversation with master homeopath, Alexis White (link to register). Alexis has been practicing homeopathy for over two-decades, and she specializes in women’s health and thyroid health. In this one hour zoom we will explore the very basic aspects of homeopathy: What is homeopathy? How does it work? How might it support me in my pursuit of wellbeing? Please bring your curiosity and your questions!

Lastly, I am very excited to be teaching in the newly launched, Jewish learning program at Chochmat HaLev in Berkeley. My seven-week module (to begin in November) will focus on Jewish notions of sacred time. How we manage our time can hold the key to our wellbeing. Please join me for that program (link to register).

With prayers for healing and peace,