Rosh Chodesh

Moon of Dreaming (November/December) 
As the nights grow longer, we read many Torah portions about dreams and dreaming. In these long nights, take the time to dream and re-ignite your creativity. Our spiritual focus is on our personal connection to Divine through creative expression. As the weather changes and the days grow shorter, we seek inspiration in  Yirah  (יראה), or the idea of Radical Amazement/Fear/Awe/Reverence.

Kohenet Ketzirah HaMa’agelet  (the Circle Maker) is a maker and teacher of the sacred arts. She is the creative force behind Devotaj Sacred Arts. her work explores and connects different spiritual traditions. Learn more about her insignts into Kislev at:  https://devotaj.com/cosmic-reference-library/wheel-of-the-year/kislev/

Praised are you, Source of Life
Who has created the skies and the universe,
The magic of darkness and light

Blessed are the cycles that guide us
Day and night, month and season
Never missing their cue

Blessed are the moon and stars
The crowns of our earth
Moving in splendid constellations

May we accept the planetary wisdom
To welcome time’s rhythm
Of change and return

May we shine with the stars
And spread light to all beings
Born from the mysterious One

May we appreciate our majestic universe
And believe in renewal
Even in the darkest of nights 

Praised are you, Source of Life, who renews new moons. 

-

Inspired by and adapted from Sanhedrin 42a

The seventh night of Hanukkah coincides with Rosh Hodesh Tevet. While the new moon and new month has long been associated with women, Tevet is extra special. 

In North Africa, Greece and Turkey, Jewish communities celebrate this special night with Chag HaBanot (Festival of the Daughters). It’s the day Esther was taken to Ahasuerus’s palace in the Purim story and it’s when we honor the heroism of Judith in the story of Hanukkah. On Chag HaBanot, women and girls across generations gather to give gifts, enjoy sweets, sing and to pass inheritances from one generation to the next. 

Here are some ways to celebrate Chag HaBanot with the women in your life.

- As you light the menorah, take a moment to think of the women who have been an influence on your life. Send them light and love.

- Enjoy a festive meal or special treat. 

- Sing and dance. Whether traditional Hanukkah songs or a playlist of your favorite women artists, Chag HaBanot is a time for rejoicing! 

- Connect with your mothers, grandmothers, sisters, aunts, cousins, friends, partners and neighbors. Start with women, then invite people of all genders to celebrate with you.