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Rabbi Arthur Green wrote about the nature of religious experience in terms of awe, in his book, Seek My Face. He wrote, “[Religious Experience] is as varied as the number of individual humans that there are in the world, and potentially as multiple as there are moments in each of those human lives. In the midst of life, perhaps in a moment of confrontation with birth or death, in seeing great beauties of nature, in love and sharing with another, in profound aloneness, or sometimes without any apparent provocation at all - a moment of holy and awesome presence comes upon us. It may come as a deep inner stillness, quieting all the sound that usually fills our inner chambers, or as a rush and excitement that fills us to overflowing. It may seem to come from within or from without - or perhaps both at once...We open our eyes at such a moment and that which we see or hear or know may be just a bit more intense and more “real” than it was before.  Life has become more animated; it seems that an extra measure of energy has flowed into the scene before us. The world is the same world, but we see it with renewed vision.”

We now find ourselves during the time known as Yamim Noraim, or the Days of Awe, that span from Rosh HaShanah through Yom Kippur. The holy days evoke so many memories--joyous, painful, moving and inspiring. Michelle Young, our Vice President of Spiritual Life, spearheaded a project to find out from our members when they experienced moments of awe. Their answers can be heard on the Seeking Sinai podcast. We hope you’ll give a listen on Spotify, Google or Apple podcasts and be moved to recall your own moments of awe-they are indeed precious and worthy of remembrance.

Shabbat shalom and G’mar chatimah Tovah,

May you be sealed for goodness in the coming year,

Beth