Jhos Singer sits in the bet midrash. There is a volume of Talmud in front of him and he glances towards someone standing outside of the frame. Jhos is wearing a checkered button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled to his elbows.

Jhos Singer

( he/him )
SVARA Fellow

Rabbi Maggid Jhos Singer is a professional Jewish educator, writer, and speaker. He is an out transman, a parent of three, devoted spouse, craft cocktail mixologist, neophyte straight razor shaving nerd, and a skillful home chef. He relishes engaging in Jewish text study, hiking, and facilitating spiritual experiences for his flock, students, and friends. With his wife, the lovely Julie Batz he spent over two decades in service as a congregational leader In Half Moon Bay and Berkeley. He also served the Jewish Community Center of San Francisco as its Maggid (a Jewish Teacher, preacher, and bard) from 2012-2024. His ordination as a Maggid came from Rabbi Gershon Winker in 2002. For good measure, since not too many folks are familiar with that title, he earned his MA in Jewish Studies, (2012) at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, and then received rabbinic ordination from Rabbi Benay Lappe, SVARA Rosh Yeshiva (2024). His work can be found hither and yon including in Torah Queeries, Balancing on the MechitzaJewish Mixology with JhosSVARA and ELItalks

Blog posts by Jhos Singer

It’s Just a Story

We are, worldwide, at the threshold of two dramatic seasons supercharged by climate change. Here on the Pacific Coast in…

People of the Cookbook

I’m dedicating this piece to the memories of Baruch ben Baruch, Harry Shaich, Ursula Batz, and Mary Lou Johnson It…

You’ve Got a Friend

Sukkot is upon us, with its promise that our species might find a little spiritual strength by intentionally dining, entertaining,…

Mishnah Yoma Chapter 5 Mishnah 7 Pt. 6

וְכֵן בַּהֵיכָל וְכֵן בְּמִזְבַּח הַזָּהָב שֶׁכֻּלָּן כַּפָּרָה בִפְנֵי עַצְמָן And similarly, [if the blood spills before he finishes the presentations]…

Mishnah Yoma Chapter 5 Mishnah 7 Pt. 4

וְאִם עַד שֶׁלֹּא גָמַר אֶת הַמַּתָּנוֹת שֶׁבִּפְנִים נִשְׁפַּךְ הַדָּם And if the blood spills before he completed [the offerings] that…

Mishnah Yoma Chapter 5 Mishnah 6 Pt. 5

אֵלּוּ וָאֵלּוּ מִתְעָרְבִין בָּאַמָּה וְיוֹצְאִין לְנַחַל קִדְרוֹן These [remainders of blood used on the outer/courtyard altar] and these [remainders of…

Remember To Forget

To heal ourselves, we have to actively remember what to forget and not forget what we must remember. It’s summer…

Mishnah Yoma Chapter 5 Mishnah 4 Pt. 5

רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר לֹא הָיָה שָׁם אֶלָּא כַּן אֶחָד בִּלְבָד Rabbi Yehuda says: “There was only one pedestal there…” Enough…

Mishnah Yoma Chapter 5 Mishnah 4 Pt. 2

נִכְנַס לִמְקוֹם שֶׁנִּכְנַס וְעָמַד בִּמְקוֹם שֶׁעָמַד He re-entered into the place that he [previously] entered, [the Holy of Holies], and…

Mishnah Yoma Chapter 5 Mishnah 1 Pt. 7

רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר לֹא הָיְתָה שָׁם אֶלָּא פָרֹכֶת אַחַת בִּלְבָד Rabbi Yosei says, “There was only one curtain there…” Today…

Mishnah Yoma Chapter 5 Mishnah 1 Pt. 2

וְחָפַן מְלֹא חָפְנָיו וְנָתַן לְתוֹךְ הַכַּף And [the High Priest] scoops his handfuls [from the incense] and places it into…

Mishnah Yoma Chapter 4 Mishnah 6 Pt. 2

רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר בְּכָל יוֹם שָׁלשׁ וְהַיּוֹם אַרְבַּע Rabbi Yosei says, “On every other day there were three [arrangements of…

Mishnah Yoma Chapter 4 Mishnah 5 Pt. 6

רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר לְעוֹלָם כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל מְקַדֵּשׁ יָדָיו וְרַגְלָיו מִן הַקִּיתוֹן שֶׁל זָהָב Rabbi Yehuda says, “The High Priest always…

Want No Wanton Hatred

In a few weeks, my wife, Julie, and I are going to Europe to experience this amazing thing called “a…

Mishnah Yoma Chapter 4 Mishnah 5 Pt. 3

רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר לְעוֹלָם כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל עוֹלֶה בָאֶמְצַע וְיוֹרֵד בָּאֶמְצַע Rabbi Yehuda says, “The High Priest always ascends in the…

Mishnah Yoma Chapter 4 Mishnah 4 Pt. 3

בְּכָל יוֹם חוֹתֶה בְשֶׁל אַרְבַּעַת קַבִּין וּמְעָרֶה בְתוֹךְ שֶׁל שְׁלשֶׁת קַבִּין On every other day, he scoops [using a coal…

Mishnah Yoma Chapter 4 Mishnah 3 Pt. 2

עַל הָרֹבֶד הָרְבִיעִי שֶׁבַּהֵיכָל כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יִקְרֹשׁ [The stirrer was] on the fourth row [of tiles] in the Sanctuary, [and…

Mishnah Yoma Chapter 4 Mishnah 2 Pt. 9

וְהֵן עוֹנִין אַחֲרָיו בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד And [the priests and the people who were in the courtyard]…

Mishnah Yoma Chapter 4 Mishnah 2 Pt. 4

אֲנִי וּבֵיתִי וּבְנֵי אַהֲרֹן עַם קְדוֹשֶׁיךָ “…I and my family and the children of Aaron, your sacred people.” We have…

Mishnah Yoma Chapter 4 Mishnah 1 Pt. 6

רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל אוֹמֵר לֹא הָיָה צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר חַטָּאת אֶלָּא לַיי Rabbi Yishmael says, “He would not need to say, ‘As…

Mishnah Yoma Chapter 4 Mishnah 1 Pt. 1

טָרַף בַּקַּלְפִּי וְהֶעֱלָה שְׁנֵי גוֹרָלוֹת אֶחָד כָּתוּב עָלָיו לַשֵּׁם וְאֶחָד כָּתוּב עָלָיו לַעֲזָאזֵל [The High Priest] mixed [the lots] in…

Mishnah Yoma Chapter 3 Mishnah 11 Pt. 6

וְעַל אֵלּוּ נֶאֱמַר (שם) וְשֵׁם רְשָׁעִים יִרְקָב And about these [who were mentioned unfavorably], it is stated (Proverbs 10:7), “But…

Mishnah Yoma Chapter 3 Mishnah 11 Pt. 1

וְאֵלּוּ לִגְנַאי שֶׁל בֵּית גַּרְמוּ לֹא רָצוּ לְלַמֵּד עַל מַעֲשֵׂה לֶחֶם הַפָּנִים And those [about to be listed were mentioned]…

Mishnah Yoma Chapter 3 Mishnah 9 Pt. 1

בָּא לוֹ לְמִזְרַח הָעֲזָרָה לִצְפוֹן הַמִּזְבֵּחַ He came to the eastern side of the Temple courtyard, to the north of…

Mishnah Yoma Chapter 3 Mishnah 8 Pt. 10

וְהֵן עוֹנִין אַחֲרָיו בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד And [the priests and the people who were in the courtyard]…

Mishnah Yoma Chapter 3 Mishnah 8 Pt. 5

אָנָּא הַשֵּׁם עָוִיתִי פָּשַׁעְתִּי חָטָאתִי לְפָנֶיךָ אֲנִי וּבֵיתִי “Please, God, I have sinned, I have done wrong, and I have…

Mishnah Yoma Chapter 3 Mishnah 8 Pt. 1

 בָּא לוֹ אֵצֶל פָּרוֹ וּפָרוֹ הָיָה עוֹמֵד בֵּין הָאוּלָם וְלַמִּזְבֵּחַ The High Priest comes and stands next to his bull,…

Of Miracles and Golems

Dread has fallen upon us. The world is in an array of tailspins. Friends are cancelling friends. Floods, fires, tornados,…

Mishnah Yoma Chapter 3 Mishnah 7 Pt. 1

 בַּשַּׁחַר הָיָה לוֹבֵשׁ פִּלּוּסִין שֶׁל שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר מָנֶה In the morning [The High priest] would wear linen garments from Pelusium,…

Mishnah Yoma Chapter 3 Mishnah 6 Pt. 5

לָבַשׁ וְקִדֵּשׁ יָדָיו וְרַגְלָיו He dressed, and he sanctified/washed his hands and his feet. Again, I love good ol’ straight…

Mishnah Yoma Chapter 3 Mishnah 5 Pt. 3

אִם הָיָה כֹהֵן גָּדוֹל זָקֵן אוֹ אִסְטְנִיס מְחַמִּין לוֹ חַמִּין If the High Priest was old or if he was…

Mishnah Yoma Chapter 3 Mishnah 5 Pt. 2

שֶׁל בֵּין הָעַרְבַּיִם בֵּין אֵבָרִים לַנְּסָכִים [The incense burning] of the afternoon was between the limbs [being taken up to…

Mishnah Yoma Chapter 3 Mishnah 4 Pt. 5

עַל יָדוֹ קִבֵּל אֶת הַדָּם וּזְרָקוֹ …and the High Priest received the blood on his hand and sprinkle it [on…

Mishnah Yoma Chapter 3 Mishnah 4 Pt. 2

פָּשַׁט יָרַד וְטָבַל עָלָה וְנִסְתַּפֵּג [The High Priest] undressed, descended, and immersed. [Then] ascended and dried himself. The beautiful irony…

Let Them Eat…Cake?

As many of you now know I’m finally, officially, a hechshered rabbi—a fact to which I’m still adjusting. It’s been…

The Yentl Moment

Photo by Cheshire Issacs I would like to dedicate my learning here to R. Benay Lappe, R. Margaret Holub, R.…

Mishnah Yoma Chapter 2 Mishnah 5 Pt. 6

וּשְׁנַיִם בְּיָדָם שְׁנֵי בְזִיכֵי לְבוֹנָה שֶׁל לֶחֶם הַפָּנִים …and [there are] two [additional priests] in whose hands are two vessels…

Mishnah Yoma Chapter 2 Mishnah 5 Pt. 3

בֶּחָג בְּיַד אֶחָד צְלוֹחִית שֶׁל מַיִם הֲרֵי כָאן עֲשָׂרָה On the festival of Sukkot, in one hand [of an additional…

Mishnah Yoma Chapter 2 Mishnah 5 Pt. 2

לֹא פָחוֹת וְלֹא יוֹתֵר כֵּיצַד עַצְמוֹ בְּתִשְׁעָה No fewer [than nine priests] and no more [than twelve priests]. [Previously the…

Mishnah Yoma Chapter 2 Mishnah 2 Pt. 5

אַרְבָּעָה פְיָסוֹת הָיוּ שָׁם וְזֶה הַפַּיִס הָרִאשׁוֹן There were four lotteries [in the Temple to determine who performed certain rituals],…

Mishnah Yoma Chapter 2 Mishnah 2 Pt. 4

הִתְקִינוּ שֶׁלֹּא יְהוּ תוֹרְמִין אֶת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ אֶלָּא בְפַיִס …they instituted that priests would remove ashes from the altar only by…

Mishnah Yoma Chapter 2 Mishnah 2 Pt. 3

וְכֵיוָן שֶׁרָאוּ בֵית דִּין שֶׁבָּאִין לִידֵי סַכָּנָה And as soon as the court saw that people were coming to danger……

Mishnah Yoma Chapter 2 Mishnah 1 Pt. 3

וְכָל הַקּוֹדֵם אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ בְאַרְבַּע אַמּוֹת זָכָה And everyone who precedes another by four amot gains the privilege [of removing…

Mishnah Yoma Chapter 1 Mishnah 8 Pt. 4

וְלֹא הָיְתָה קְרִיאַת הַגֶּבֶר מַגַּעַת עַד שֶׁהָיְתָה עֲזָרָה מְלֵאָה מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל And the call of the rooster would not arrive [on…

Mishnah Yoma Chapter 1 Mishnah 8 Pt. 3

בְּיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים מֵחֲצוֹת וּבָרְגָלִים מֵאַשְׁמוּרָה הָרִאשׁוֹנָה And on Yom Kippur [he removed the ashes] from midnight onward. And on the…