Counting Together: Sefirat Ha’Omer
Join Kadima School teacher and community member, Michal Waldfogel, to count the Omer together!
Michal will provide resources for the group to count together virtually every day through Shavuot. The group will also meet in person for some movement, meditation, and discussion three times throughout the seven weeks of the Omer.
Meetings will take place at Kadima on May 4th, May 18th, and June 1st during Shabbat School from 11am - 12pm. Stick around afterwards for kiddush and a catered Shabbat community lunch (RSVP and donations are appreciated!) at 12pm.
Michal will provide resources for the group to count together virtually every day through Shavuot. The group will also meet in person for some movement, meditation, and discussion three times throughout the seven weeks of the Omer.
Meetings will take place at Kadima on May 4th, May 18th, and June 1st during Shabbat School from 11am - 12pm. Stick around afterwards for kiddush and a catered Shabbat community lunch (RSVP and donations are appreciated!) at 12pm.
Some thoughts from Michal
Life is the ultimate spiralized curriculum. Each year we pass through the same content on the Jewish calendar, yet it’s a little different. We’re a little different. Even though I had been celebrating Pesach (Passover) with my family and friends every year of my life, I only began putting attention to the Omer five years ago.
The Omer is the 49 day (7 week) period between the second day of Pesach and Shavuot during which time we count each day with a special blessing and can choose to make each day count with a guided practice based on Kabbalah (Jewish mysticism). It’s powerful. The first time I counted, the period started with the unknowing of what would be my partner’s next treatment for cancer. We decided to enter the Omer and wander in the |
wilderness, trusting that it would become clear by the time we got to the revelation at Mt. Sinai (Shavuot). It did. And we were able to count the Omer three more times together.
The Kabbalistic practice is based on the sefirot (qualities of the divine) of: Hesed (lovingkindness), Gevurah (strength/discipline), Tiferet (beauty/compassion), Netzach (endurance), Hod (humility), Yesod (bonding/commitment) and Malchut (majesty). Throughout the seven weeks, we explore how these qualities relate to one another and challenge ourselves to practice them in our lives. This year, I am offering up the counting to the Kadima community as a way to hold one another in the process and check in along the way. Please join us! |
Resources
Rabbi Yael Levy's resources will guide our process. If you're jumping in now, you can get caught up on her website!