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Take a moment to turn to one another and offer words of love and appreciation. These blessings need not be restricted just to people who are married, they can be offered by and for any loving partner.  For a woman: אֵֽשֶׁת‭ ‬חַֽיִל‭ ‬מִי‭ ‬יִמְצָא‭ ‬וְרָחֹק‭ ‬מִפְּנִינִים‭ ‬מִכְרָהּ‭. ‬בָּֽטַח‭ ‬בָּהּ‭ ‬לֵב‭ ‬בַּעְלָהּ‭ ‬וְשָׁלָל‭ ‬לֹא‭ ‬יֶחְסָר פִּֽיהָ‭ ‬פָּתְחָה‭ ‬בְחָכְמָה‭ ‬וְתֽוֹרַת‭ ‬חֶֽסֶד‭ ‬עַל‭ ‬לְשׁוֹנָהּ‭. ‬קָֽמוּ‭ ‬בָנֶֽיהָ‭ ‬וַיְאַשְּׁרֽוּהָ‭ ‬בַּעְלָהּ‭ ‬וַיְהַלְלָהּ‭. ‬רַבּוֹת‭ ‬בָּנוֹת‭ ‬עָֽשׂוּ‭ ‬חָֽיִל‭ ‬וְאַתְּ‭ ‬עָלִית‭ ‬עַל‭ ‬כֻּלָּֽנָה‭ ‬ Eishet Chayil mi yimtza, v’rakhok mi’pninim...

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In the days prior to Rosh Hashanah, throughout the Hebrew month of Elul, traditional Jews add Psalm 27 to their daily prayers. Here’s a contemporary translation by Norman Fischer from his book Opening to You: Zen-Inspired Translations of the Psalms You are my light and my help Whom should I fear? You are the fortress of my life Whom should I dread? When the narrow ones gather their strength to devour me It is they who stumble and fall Even if...

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Hear, Oh Israel, The universe is one. All humanity is one. Shma Yisroel Ha-olam echad! Ha-enoshiut echad! And you shall love your fellow humans With all your heart And all your soul, And all your might! These words inscribe on your heart And on your doorposts. Repeat them and teach them to your children By day and by night. Teach them to revere all life.

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There is no more fundamentally human act than breaking bread together. On Shabbat we use two, complete loaves of rich, braided bread to symbolize abundance and blessing. When setting the table, set two loaves of challah on plate, cover with a cloth, and place either a shaker of salt or container of honey nearby. Remove the challah cover. Touch the challah or touch someone who is touching the challah. Bless together. Tear or cut the challah into pieces. Dip it in...

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When I was a young man, I wanted to change the world.  But I found it was difficult to change the world,  so I tried to change my country.  When I found I couldn’t change my country,  I began to focus on my town.  However, I discovered that I couldn’t change the town,  and so as I grew older, I tried to change my family. Now, as an old man, I realize the only thing I can change is myself,  but...

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It’s time to say thank you. To your host or to your guests. To the people who have supported you through the last year, and the people who inspire you going forward. Say a real thank you--be as specific as you can, because thank yous are like fuel--they power us for the year to come. And don’t forget to thank God (or the creator/the Universe/the mystical source of connection) one more time for the year you just had, and the one...

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הִנֵּה מַה טּוֹב וּמַה נָעִים שֶבֶת אַחִים גַם יָחַד Hineh Mah tov umah na'im shevet achim gam yachad. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!

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1 On that day did the king Ahasuerus give the house of Haman the Jews' enemy unto Esther the queen. And Mordecai came before the king; for Esther had told what he was unto her. 2 And the king took off his ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it unto Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman. {S} 3 And Esther spoke yet again before the king, and fell down at his feet, and besought...