WORDS THAT BREATHE

A poem and blessing for anyone facing chemotherapy — humor, Hebrew prayer, and hope for healing.

Rabbi Paul Kipnes remembers URJ camp and NFTY leader Paul “PJR” Reichenbach, exploring the quiet, disenfranchised grief of losing a mentor.

I wrote this the day she buried her mother, trying to hold prayer and grief together as she recited the first Kaddish for her.

When someone we love dies, Judaism offers the gift of shiva. But what happens when family, work, travel, health concerns, or distance make traditional shiva impossible? Rabbi Paul Kipnes explores meaningful Jewish practices that can help mourners honor a loved one, embrace grief, and find comfort when sitting shiva is not possible.