Blessed MotionAugust 26, 2022by Mónica GomeryA few weeks ago, as the sun set and the stars appeared in the darkening sky, I headed out to…
A Force for Deep ConnectionAugust 19, 2022by Becky SilversteinA few months ago, we added reciting the Shema to our toddler’s bedtime routine. Edie had experienced a language explosion…
CRASH HOTSWhen a Text Needs to CrashAugust 12, 2022by Laynie SolomanContent warning: this piece mentions a Talmudic text that deals with the theme of sexual violence. One morning during the…
A Strange Dance With MourningAugust 5, 2022by Bronwen MullinThis Saturday night, Jews around the world will observe the holiday of Tisha B’Av, which is a strange holiday for…
Honoring the Pain We CarryJuly 29, 2022by Jhos SingerThey say that aging is not for the faint of heart, and I can attest to that. With 63 in-the-body…
The Fullness of Every WordJuly 22, 2022by Elaina MarshalekIf you’ve ever learned with SVARA, you’ve learned that each and every word we stumble upon deserves a close, loving,…
Each and Every Thread: Witnessing Masechet BerachotJuly 15, 2022by Ren FinkelLast week, new and returning SVARA-niks gathered to celebrate the re-launch of Mishnah Collective. What began two years ago as…
Svara in SpadesJuly 8, 2022by Ayana MorseThis is quite a moment in time. As we find ourselves living with a judicial system that is reversing, contesting,…
Becoming Halakhically UngovernableJuly 1, 2022by Laynie SolomanThough it’s a bit over oversimplified, many folks often characterize our tradition as “legalistic.” As a Talmud-lover, I get it.…
A World of More ChevrutaJune 24, 2022by Bronwen MullinI would have never made it through rabbinical school without my chevruta, Rabbi Emily Barton. Emily always knew how to…
Starting From the Same Beginner’s MindJune 17, 2022by Lauren TuchmanMy journey to becoming part of the SVARA community began in the summer of 2015, at a program that would…
The Power of Our MinhagJune 10, 2022by Laynie SolomanLast week, the Conservative movement’s halakhic decision-making team, the Committee on Jewish Laws and Standards (CJLS), approved a teshuva, a…