Rosh Chodesh

All who bless the new moon in its proper time are as if they greet the face of the Shechinah. — Babylonian Talmud

With a joyous welcome to all, we offer monthly rituals honoring Rosh Hodesh, the new moon that begins each month of the Jewish year. These gatherings explore aspects of the divine feminine (Shechinah) and are open to people of any gender who wish to honor our roots in earth-based practices. We let the moon choose the evening of our meeting.

During our Rosh Hodesh celebrations, we review the challenges and blessings of the month that is ending, and welcome the new month with chanting, study, poetry and art-making. Each session includes contemplative savoring of chocolate, sanctified by our own Blessing for Chocolate:

B’rucha at Yah, Shechinateynu ruach ha’olam, sh’hafchah mar l’matok v’natnah bahnu koach l’shanot.

Blessed are you, Yah, Indwelling Spirit of the World, who transforms bitter to sweet and makes all transformation possible.

Mishkan Shalom’s open Rosh Hodesh celebrations are grounded in the teachings of Rabbis Jill Hammer and Shefa G. We follow the priestess pathways ("netivot") illuminated by Rabbi Jill, and we use chant, as taught by Rabbi Shefa Gold — the rhythmic and musical repetition of a sacred phrase — to deepen our experience of these pathways in our own lives. As Rabbi Shefa teaches, “When we chant together with a community we create something so much more beautiful than what any one of us could accomplish alone.”

“'Netivah' (plural "netivot"),” Rabbi Jill teaches, “is a Hebrew word for path or way of being. In the book of Proverbs, we hear of wisdom that “all her ways are pleasant, and all her paths (netivot) are peace.” We reclaim images of the divine feminine by honoring one netivah every month. The descriptions of the netivot listed with each month’s celebrations are taken from the website of the Kohenet Priestess Institute.

The conveners are chant leader Ohevet Wendy G, Kohenet (Hebrew Priestess) Shoshana B, and poet Ohevet Susan W.

• Join us to bless the new moon. View the calendar for details.
• Questions? Contact Wendy Galson, Susan Windle or Shoshana Bricklin.