All are welcome! Jewish! Not Jewish! Kind of Jewish! Jewish-adjacent! All are welcome!

Financially Accessible Option Available via the Wrestling with Torah Discord.

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In Jewish Tradition, the concept of 'sin' doesn't necessarily mean what you think it means: and it can be a transformational concept that helps us to become better versions of ourselves.

In Hebrew, the words often translated as "sin" does mean all of the negative things our culture associates with the word, but it also means so much more. Everything from a "misstep" or an "oops," to a spiritual moment to make amends and learn from this particular experience.

Come join Rabbi Gischner as we begin the spiritual process of reflecting on our year as we celebrate the first of Elul together, to reflect on who we have been and who we are becoming as we enter the new year of 5784 together.

Update on my presence here:

Hi friends!

You may have noticed that I am not as active here as I once was.  I want to both promise you that I am still here -- although I am more accessible via email at [email protected] -- but I do have less of a presence here.

My web presence today looks a bit different than it did a few months ago and I do not have as much time to devote to this blog.  That said, you can still find me through @WrestlingWithTorah and through my new creative Jewish outlet- TikTok.

If you are not following me yet on TikTok @RabbiJoshG - please do!  

And if you do not have access to the Wrestling with Torah discord, please message me here or email me.   The month of July was a bit slow, but August we will be picking back up with more classes and social events!  (Including a class taught by one of my fabulous classmates!)

-Rabbi Josh

I’m struggling a bit. 

the local synagogue (there are only two here, one conservative and one reform, and due to my health I don’t think I could convert conservative even if I wanted to, and also I think they’re more conservative politically than I’m comfortable with, so at any point I say the local synagogue I mean the reform one) is reform, and I’m leaning more towards recon, but there isn’t a recon shul near me. the reform temple has structured conversion classes, which I missed the start of, and the next round isn’t until next year. not only do I not want to wait that long, I feel like by that point I’m going to be light years ahead of the starting point of a ‘judaism 101′ class, if I keep on at the rate I am.

and I’ve already been told (by the synagogue hebrew teacher, not the rabbi--I haven’t actually had a conversation individually with the rabbi, and I’ve had a couple of long phone calls with the hebrew teacher) that I should talk less in torah study because I ‘know too much’ already.

I would really vastly prefer, I think, to convert via individual study with a rabbi I was in conversation with who set me work at my own pace, rather than chafing at the bit of being confined to the pace of a class designed to be generalized. 

and also, the more services I go to with this synagogue, the more I don’t like their style of service. I don’t like organ music, it feels unbearably protestant to me and it’s really jarring and unpleasant. I don’t like prayers translated into english with minimal to no hebrew. the rabbi made a comment about that being the ‘classic’ reform service, english and organ music, and that they try to do a variety between that end of the scale and the end with hebrew and other instruments, to cater to the varying tastes of the congregants, and in the abstract I can appreciate that, but I find half the services they do alienating, and the rest rarely rise above ‘tolerable’. the rabbi also said there are varying political views in the congregation that he tries not to totally alienate, and I don’t... like that. it feels sanitized and bland and completely passionless, and that’s really not remotely what I want from religious services.

I have intended to move at some indefinite point in the future away from this city, so that’s an axis for me to consider on anywhere I think about moving, whether there’s a synagogue there I actually like, and with covid I can try services ahead of time

I had a whoooole ass breakdown last week after the hebrew teacher told me to talk less in torah study, and that also rather soured me on the congregation, but I went to zoom services again this erev shabbat, I feel like I need to make an effort and give it a chance because it is unavoidably my local synagogue, but... bluh.

I want a rabbi I have some level of personal relationship with and this rabbi really has not invited that. his response to my email about conversion was like, two sentences. yes you missed this year’s classes, I’ll put you on the mailing list for services.

josh from wrestlingwithtorah feels significantly more like ‘my’ rabbi than the local one does. hell, the woman from new york who did a guest service and torah study felt more like she engaged with me.

Attention WWT!  Excited for tomorrow’s classes? Financially Accessible Zoom links are available in the Discord.

Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow!

-Rabbi Josh

Come check out an event we are hosting this month! The Jewish Perspective on Creativity! Sign up today. A financially accessible link will be provided once we have enough attendees in our Discord server. https://www.eventbrite.com/.../a-jewish-perspective-on...

Check out our Hamantaschen that some WWT members have made! Happy Purim!

We hope you have a very meaningful Yom Kippur!

A new class is coming up next month! Check it out and make sure you register early so we can secure the class time! Remember that all registrants will receive class materials and a class recording via email after the class is over. So, even if you end up not being able to make it, you will be able to watch it on your own later. Register here!

Luke and Bex rocking some round gluten free challah this Rosh Hashanah!

Want a free Wrestling with Torah sticker?  Fill out this survey by Wednesday!

-Rabbi Josh

Image description below

Several Wrestling with Torah stickers sit on a wooden table top.  Each sticker includes the Wrestling with Torah logo - a red Torah scroll sitting over the blue words “Wrestling with Torah,” over the smaller red words “Radically Inclusive Jewish Learning.”  The logo is transparent, and sits atop a blueish and purpleish background.

Would you follow a Wrestling with Torah Tumblr?

What should a WWT Tumblr post about?

What other social media accounts should we have?

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www.WrestlingWithTorah.org

Wrestling With Torah (Facebook)

@WrestlingWithTorah (Instagram)

Are you following Wrestling with Torah on Instagram? Come join us for wisdom and Jewish joy!

Radically welcoming Kabbalat Shabbat Services at Wrestling with Torah with special guest Student Cantor Kalix Jacobson! 🎶 Free Registration HERE!

Shana Tova!  May you have a sweet, happy, and HEALTHY new year.

Do you have a spiritual home for your High Holy Day celebrations?  My partner Rachel and I would be honored if you joined us for our radically inclusive services and classes. 

Rosh Hashanah begins on Friday, September 18th at sundown.  Register now!

See below for an image description.

Image Description:

[An image of an iPhone screen with a whole host of comical apps.  The top says, “Wishing you a 5781 filled with:”  The comical apps include:  “Exciting Apps” (with the Calendar app), “Happy Notes” (with the Notes app), “Fun Beats” (with the music app), “Lots of Smiles” (with the camera app), “Colorful Moments” (with the Instagram app), “Adventures” (with an app that includes a mountain in its image), “Good Reads” (with the Google Books app), “Connections” (with the Contacts app), “Finding Friends” (with the “Find my Friend” app), “Sunny Skies” (with the weather app), “Quality Time” (with the clock app), “Great Memories” (with the photos app), “Clear Directions” (with the Google Maps app), “Conversations” (with the Facebook Messenger app), “World Travel” (with an app with a globe on it), “Good News” (with the news app), “Good Health” (with the Health app), “Outdoor Fun” (with a compass app), “New Ideas” (with an app that includes a light bulb), “Unexplored Trails” (with an app that includes a trail), “Israel” (with an app that includes a Jewish Star), “New Knowledge” (with an app that includes a raindrop with the Israeli Flag making it up), “Love” (with the J Swipe app) and “Happy Holidays” (with a Rosh Hashanah App).]

Make sure you are signed up for our text study coming up this Sunday at `12:30PM ET. Find out more here.

Black Friday at Wrestling with Torah!

Between now and Monday, all WWT Archived Classes are on sale!  (woohoo!!)

Contribute for 2 classes, get 1 free!  All contributions benefit the work that we do at WWT to bring inexpensive and free Jewish learning to our community! 

Use Code:  BlackFriday

What do Jews Believe?  (Intro to Jewish Theology)

What is Adam's Gender?   (Queer Questions series)

What do you do with Homophobia & Transphobia in the Torah? (Queer Questions series)

Judaism: A Family that Warmly Welcomes  (this is Josh’s Inclusion Workshop)

High Holy Days as Self Care (SUPER applicable to living during Covid)

Co-Creating a Meaningful Shabbat Practice (also super applicable to our lives right now!)

Understanding & Combating Antisemitism (Anti-Bias Workshop)

Monsters in the Talmud (Halloween in November 😉 )

Also, click here for FREE classes and resources.