Rabbi Jill’s Latest Blog Posts
Folding The Laundry
My beautiful precious mom, Marlene Marks Kornick, died in 2020. Her death was made more painful because she declined during the global pandemic, when it was impossible to fly across the country to visit. I have been writing poems to her – Dear Mom – I hereby dedicate every laundry folding to you, and every …
The Backstory: RENEW
Last month, the weight of the pandemic felt personally unbearable. A go-to strategy to relieve despair and renew my own spirit is to reach out to see if perhaps others can relate. I hopped onto Twitter with this simple question: “What is one word you’d use to describe your emotional state right now? Mine is …
“I Was Not Silenced”
We are living in history. How the story of this time is told, and what fundamental changes will be made is dependent on us. Each one of us – whether you are marching in the streets or sheltering in place and educating yourself is needed. In 2016, Rabbi Micah Lapidus of Atlanta Georgia wrote the …
Racism: Educate Yourself. Speak Up. Here’s How.
This is the moment to stand up for justice for all and quash systemic racism. Whether you are on the streets protesting, or at home because of Covid19 or other health issues, each one of us can do something. We all watched George Floyd murdered by the police, his life snuffed out of him, as …
What Are You Learning In This Pause?
We stand here, in the pause between the world that was and the world that is yet to be. We are still experiencing the cataclysm of this pandemic, and most of us know that everything has changed. The way we learn, communicate, pray with each other, eat, celebrate, and mourn – everything is and will …
A Blessing In The Midst: We Are Temporary Visitors
I have moved my home office outside. Yes, now I am doing my Zoom sessions on our porch. Ely has set up the bird feeders and birdbaths so we have many enchanting visitors. Just yesterday I noticed that there are a few tiny birds building a nest in the dryer vent, directly above where I …
Blessing For Those Who Stand Up
Bless you for showing up day after day Even when you have a pit in your stomach or a knot in your throat Even when you nearly lose faith Or fear the worst. Bless you for continuing to have faith in the seen and the unseen, For believing in the good and For fighting for …
Settling In: What Might This Mean Now?
It occurs to me that we might learn a lesson from plants right now about settling in, even as we sit in this place of unknowing. I’ll share a story about our foray into gardening yesterday. First, the context that is the background of everything: we do not know how many will suffer and die …
