Omer 2025 Day 18

Day 17

Day 18: This Republic of Suffering: Death and the American Civil War by Drew Gilpin Faust
Netzach in Tiferet, Eternity/Endurance in Compassion

The Civil War forever changed our understanding of death, and in her book, This Republic of Suffering, Drew Gilpin Faust examines the immediate and lasting effects of those changes on American culture. Such widespread death and loss forced the nation to grapple with the meaning of life and the meaning of death on a scale we hadn't had to contemplate before. In addition to mourning deaths, we also had to learn to mourn without closure for those missing and presumed dead, buried without identification and lost to time. It is a mark of our great compassion for each other, even in the worst years of our country's history, that strangers helped wounded soldiers, passed on letters to their families back home, and buried unknown bodies with respect. If you want to better understand the ways that the Civil War endures in our modern understanding of our civic responsibility to each other, and in our collective national psyche, this is the book for you.

Omer 2025 Day 17

Day 16 | Day 18

Day 17: The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
Tiferet in Tiferet, Beauty in Balance

Eric Carle's classic is perfect for today's sefirot. Our little hungry caterpillar munches away on increasing amounts of fruits and ultimately binges on junk food, giving himself a stomachache. Balancing his desire to eat strawberries and ice cream and pickles with his need for nutrient-rich, filling leaves gives him the ability to become the beautiful butterfly he would become.

Omer 2025 Day 16

Day 15 | Day 17

Day 16: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Gevurah in Tiferet, Justice/Bravery in Compassion

"You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view… until you climb into his skin and walk around in it." -Atticus Finch

There may not be a character more associated with justice and bravery than Atticus Finch. As a lawyer, he understands that justice is not only about the law, but about human perception and emotion, which, unfortunately, are not in his client's favor as a black man in the Jim Crow south. Still, he does not shrink from the task of defending his client or bow to societal pressure for mob rule. He stands for justice and, in doing so, demands that the rest of the town see beyond the prejudice and stereotype of his client to the real person and witness the injustice of their society, even though the trial's outcome would remain unjust.

Sometimes change is painfully slow. Sometimes good people suffer while our society takes its time doing the right thing. But Atticus Finch's life echoes the Jewish teachings, "Justice, justice shall you pursue" (Deuteronomy 16:20) and "You are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to abandon it" (Pirkei Avot 2:16). To make the world more just requires good people to pursue it, to stand for it, to speak against injustice, and force others to bear witness to it, rather than turning away in discomfort or indifference.

Omer 2025 Day 15

Day 14

Day 15: The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
Chesed in Tiferet, Loving-kindness in Compassion

What if? That is ultimately the question this book asks. The main character's magical midnight library takes her through an infinite series of "what ifs?" - possible lives she could have lived, if only she had made a different choice at one time or another in her life. The idea is interesting, even if Matt Haig beats his point into the ground. Nora, the main character, is sure that each alternate life will be better than the one she has, but eventually learns that each option has its troubles and faults. She might be more happy or less happy, more connected or more alone. Exploring who she could be, the lives she could lead, bring her a better understanding of and appreciation for herself. She learns to love life and to have some compassion for herself in her lowest moments.

Omer 2025 Day 14

Day 13 | Day 15

Day 14: The Death and Return of Superman by Dan Jurgens
Malchut in Gevurah, Leadership in Strength

The Death and Return of Superman tells the story of Superman's fight with Doomsday to save Earth. Superman is ultimately successful in stopping Doomsday, but he is also killed in the process. We see the world mourn him and we see Lois Lane and the Kents grieve for both of his identities as well. And then a number of people calling themselves "Superman" attempt to take his place on the superhero stage. Each of these new "Supermen" is missing some key characteristic that made Superman the hero that he was. His loss and the many ways the new "Supermen" do not live up to his name, demonstrates that leadership in power is about more than just physical strength. It's about strength of character, integrity, and compassion. The power and strength you bring to leadership is immeasurable and un-replicable.

Omer 2025 Day 13

Day 12 | Day 14

Day 13: Thank You, Dr. Salk! The Scientist Who Beat Polio and Healed the World by Dean Robbins, pictures by Mike Dutton
Yesod in Gevurah, Foundation in Strength

In honor of World Immunization Week, I want to highlight this great children's book I stumbled upon at my local library. This biography of Dr. Jonas Salk tells the story of his quest to end polio. My kids were particularly excited when the books explained that his drive to find a vaccine came from the Jewish value of tikkun olam (healing the world). 

"He could not run fast or leap high. But Jonas knew a different way to be brave. It came from his Jewish religion. He dreamed of tikkun olam. Healing the world!"

We read a lot of books about Jewish people and Jewish themes, but usually, they come from PJ Library, not the local library. My kids were so excited to see Judaism represented in a book that we found "in the wild" (so to speak). What I love about this book (aside from my passion for vaccine advocacy, which is a longer conversation for another time, but please vaccinate your kids and get your appropriate boosters) is how it centers Judaism as foundational to Salk's drive to strengthen the health of his community. WHY we do good matters. The foundations underpinning our actions matter. And being able to show our kids the power of Jewish values to heal the world plants the idea in their minds to use our foundational values in their own endeavors to strengthen our world.

If you would like to support vaccine research and access, I recommend supporting the Sabin Vaccine Institute, named for Dr. Albert Sabin (yes, if you're wondering, he was Jewish).

If you're worried about the rise of the anti-vaccine movement and declining immunization rates, I absolutely love the work of Voices for Vaccines addressing vaccine hesitancy.

Omer 2025 Day 12

Day 11 | Day 13

Day 12: Lincoln's Sword: The Presidency and the Power of Words by Douglas Wilson
Hod in Gevurah, Glory/Humility in Power

"In the four years that Abraham Lincoln would be president, the American public would gradually discover, much to its collective astonishment, that this unprepossessing Illinois politician had remarkable abilities as a writer."

As you may know, I have a lifelong love for Abraham Lincoln. Growing up in Illinois - "the land of Lincoln" - this is not, perhaps, surprising. But it was not just state pride that drew me to Lincoln. From a young age, I was inspired by him - his love of learning, his sense of justice, his way with words. As someone who struggled to find my own voice, always afraid of being misunderstood or failing to express my thoughts exactly as I wanted, I was in awe of Lincoln's ability to be witty, to be solemn, to be hopeful. He distilled the nation's frustrations and loss, the turmoil, and the promise into powerful and lasting words.

Douglas Wilson was the codirector of the Lincoln Studies Center at Knox College. His scholarship was a large part of my decision to attend Knox, and one of my greatest college regrets was letting my fear of being "that person" stop me from taking advantage of the opportunity to learn with him, or at least get my copy of Lincoln's Sword signed.

Of the many books I've read and loved about Abraham Lincoln, I think this one most clearly demonstrates hod, how both glory and humility played out in the power of Lincoln's presidency and the power of his words.

Omer 2025 Day 11

Day 10 | Day 12

Day 11: A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win WWII by Sonia Purnell
Netzach in Gevurah, Endurance/Victory in Strength/Bravery

I recommend this book often. Of the many non-fiction books that have and will be featured here during the omer, this might be the one I recommend the most. It is the true story of Virginia Hall, an American spy for the British in Nazi-occupied France. Hall embodied endurance through strength. She lost her leg in a shooting accident, but she endured and was even able to use her wooden leg later as a spy. She was an American who wanted to serve in WWII before the US entered the war, so she approached the British. She was a woman who wanted to serve the war effort, and she became a spy, using the expectations of and assumptions about women to her advantage. She ran a successful spy ring in Nazi-occupied France, becoming an important contact in the region. Her strength of character, determination, and bravery helped secure victory for the Allies in WWII, and brought to her own life the sense of adventure and purpose she sought.

Omer 2025 Day 10

Day 9 | Day 11

Day 10: The Golem and the Jinni and The Hidden Palace by Helene Wecker
Tiferet in Gevurah, Beauty/Compassion in Strength

If you like folklore and turn-of-the-20th-century New York, then this is the series for you. (Bonus points for supporting a Jewish author). The Golem and the Jinni and its sequel, The Hidden Palace, follow Chava the golem and Ahmad the jinni as they navigate life in 1899 New York City. Chava is a golem, a Jewish mythical being made of clay and meant to serve and protect a master. She is brought to life in the final minutes of her master's life, and his death leaves her without her main purpose of serving him. Ahmad is a jinni, a shape-shifting Arabian mythical being of fire and mischief. He is accidentally released from a flask in NYC with no memory of how he was imprisoned in the flask or how he became bound in human form without the full range of his powers. Both characters are inhuman, hiding their true selves while attempting to understand the new world around them. But while Chava craves structure and purpose, Ahmad craves freedom. Despite their opposite natures, they form a strong friendship, with Chava helping Ahmad develop compassion and empathy for the humans around them, and Ahmad helping Chava develop a sense of individuality. These books explore different kinds of strength - physical and emotional, individual and communal - and how we can find beauty in the mundane and develop compassion for those around us by tapping into that strength.

Omer 2025 Day 9

Day 8 | Day 10

Day 9: Master Slave Husband Wife: An Epic Journey from Slavery to Freedom by Ilyon Woo
Gevurah in Gevurah, Strength in Bravery

I was surprised by how quickly into this book Ellen and William Craft made their way to freedom. Books about slaves escaping to freedom so often spend the beginning of the book on their life in slavery, then tell the story of their escape, and end with the slaves reaching the north. This book, however, subverts all of that, beginning, instead, with the journey to freedom, and continuing the story of the Crafts in freedom. Yes, their journey is harrowing and compelling, and took great strength and courage. But by continuing the story beyond just reaching freedom, Woo shows the extent of their bravery. The Crafts could have disappeared into the north and lived out their lives quietly as free people. But they were offered, and accepted, a more difficult task: to become spokespeople for abolition, a job that put them on the map for bounty hunters to try to recapture them, but also gave them a platform to share their story worldwide. Their strength and bravery did not end with their own personal liberation. In many ways, their story is the story of counting the omer, stretching the story of our journey from slavery to freedom into a lasting fight for self-discovery and improving the world.

Omer 2025 Day 8

Day 7 | Day 9

Day 8: I Am Abraham Lincoln by Brad Meltzer, illustrated by Christopher Eliopoulos
Chesed in Gevurah, Loving-kindness in Strength/Justice

I love this whole Ordinary People Change the World series by Brad Meltzer and Christopher Eliopoulis. They do a great job of writing about larger-than-life people and difficult topics in ways that children can understand.

I Am Abraham Lincoln begins when Lincoln was a child and explains his upbringing using stories that demonstrate his kindness and his sense of justice, ultimately tying those threads from his youth into his legacy as the president who freed the slaves and kept our nation together. It hammers home the idea that anyone can speak up for what is right and take a stand for more kindness in this world.

I've been reading this book to my kids since my oldest was a baby and it gets better every time. Each time, they ask different questions and understand a little more a little differently. I read it to them again today and - maybe because we're finishing Passover - they had a lot of questions about the similarities and differences between the Israelites' slavery in Egypt and American slavery. We talked about freedom and justice and how to show kindness through strength by standing up for what is right.

Omer 2025 Day 7

 Day 6 | Day 8

Day 7: Empowered Judaism: What Independent Minyanim Can Teach Us about Building Vibrant Jewish Communities by Elie Kaunfer
Malchut in Chesed, Leadership in Loving-kindness

If I'm being honest, I didn't particularly care for this book when I first read it. It felt unnecessarily judgmental of brick-and-mortar Jewish communities, which I had my problems with too, but ultimately found deeply meaningful and worth fighting for. Looking back on it now, I see the place for all of these expressions of Jewish community and I can see that Kaunfer's disappointment with traditional Jewish options stemmed from his love of Judaism. My dislike of Kaunfer's attitude in this book has also been tempered by his projects since then, including Hadar, which expands Jewish learning within and beyond the traditional synagogue model. Through innovative thinking and leadership that reimagines the possibilities of Jewish life, Kaunfer has created deeper Jewish engagement overall.

Omer 2025 Day 6

 Day 5 | Day 7

Day 6: The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah
Yesod in Chesed, Connection in Loving-kindness

This book is full of examples of the sefirot. Honestly, it was hard to choose just one day for it. Elsa's mantra, "be brave" (gevurah). The beauty of the land juxtaposed with the despair of the Depression and the moments of compassion amid exploitation and disinterest (tiferet). The family's endurance through the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression (netzach). The glory/humility of surviving and holding onto their sense of self (hod). And, of course, Elsa's reluctant leadership (malchut). We could just stop counting the omer right here. This book covers them all. But there are other worthy books for the rest of our days, and ultimately, the relationship between Elsa and her daughter, Loreda, is a perfect example of yesod in chesed, connection in loving-kindness. 

Hannah has said of this book that she struggled to create conflict between characters whose main, if not only concern, would be survival, and then she thought of putting a teenage daughter in it. Between teenage angst and the inevitable mother-daughter drama that comes at that age, the relationship between Elsa and Loreda provided conflict and a sense of normalcy against the historical backdrop of climate disaster and financial ruin that was the 1930s. Elsa and Loreda have a bond that can't be broken, no matter their circumstances or their arguments. They come back to each other and support each other through every tragedy and every fight, because they love each other.

"You are of me, Loreda, in a way that can never be broken. You taught me love. You, first in the whole world, and my love for you will outlive me."

Omer 2025 Day 5

Day 4 | Day 6

Day 5: Nurture the Wow: Finding Spirituality in the Frustration, Boredom, Tears, Poop, Desperation, Wonder, and Radical Amazement of Parenting by Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg
Hod in Chesed, Humility/Glory in Loving-kindness

I read this book two years ago in my previous job as part of a Jewish parenting program that we hosted for parents of young children. Special thanks to Rabbi Viki Bedo for introducing us all to the book and leading the discussions. The author, Rabbi Ruttenberg, does an excellent job of lifting up the mundane aspects of parenting (and of life in general) and demonstrating how they can be imbued with spiritual significance. Every year I say that hod is the most difficult of the sefirot, because it requires us to understand the seeming opposites of glory and humility as one. And, honestly, if anything is going to teach you how to understand hod, it's parenting. Watching my kids grow up is a daily exercise in glory/humility in loving-kindness, and Rabbi Ruttenberg provides a framework for holding onto those moments as they pass by at rapid speed.

Omer 2025 Day 4

Day 3 | Day 5

Day 4: Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling
Netzach in Chesed, Endurance in Loving-kindness

The Harry Potter series essentially boils down to a story about the enduring power of love. Harry's parents' love remains as a protective force over him long after they have died, saving him time and time again from Voldemort. Harry's love for his friends, his godfather, and others keeps him from losing himself in difficult moments.

"To have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, will give us some protection forever." -Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

 

"You think the dead we loved ever truly leave us? You think that we don't recall them more clearly in times of great trouble?” -Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

 

"You're the one who is weak. You will never know love or friendship. And I feel sorry for you." -Harry Potter to Voldemort, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix 

    

"You are protected, in short, by your ability to love!" - Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Omer 2025 Day 3

 Day 2 | Day 4

Day 3: The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams
Tiferet in Chesed, Beauty in Loving-kindness

"Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand."

This was one of my favorite books as a child. I came back to it again and again, finding warmth and comfort in the emotional connection between a boy and his toys. The velveteen rabbit begins its life as a beautiful toy, but love and constant play turn the rabbit into a worn, old thing. Still, the boy's love for the toy doesn't fade with its beauty. Those imperfections are signs of fun and love. Even when the rabbit becomes real, he stays near the boy and the boy recognizes something of the love in him, sensing familiarity.

Omer 2025 Day 2

 Day 1 | Day 3

Day 2: A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
Gevurah in Chesed, Bravery in Loving-kindness

As Trent Crimm summarized in Ted Lasso, "It's a lovely novel. It's the story of a young girl's struggle with the burden of leadership as she journeys through space." Yes, I read this book as an adult because it was featured in Ted Lasso. Any reason is a good reason to read a good book. In Ted Lasso, they use A Wrinkle in Time to teach a lesson about leadership, but I think it fits better here with bravery in loving-kindness. In the book, the main character, Meg, finds bravery in her love for her brother. She ultimately puts herself in danger, not to save the world (though she does that as well), but because her love for her family compels her to act. Her strength and bravery are rooted in love.

Omer 2025 Day 1

 Omer Intro | Day 2

Day 1: The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown, pictures by Clement Hurd
Chesed in Chesed, Loving-kindness in Loving-kindness

I realized when I was preparing this year's theme that this first week is really all about relationships. You'll see throughout this week that loving-kindness plays out in each book through the relationships of the characters.

I chose this particular book to kick us off because the relationship piece works on two levels - both within the book and in my reading of it with my kids. My kids loved this book when they were little and I loved it too. I can't say that about every book they wanted to read on repeat, but this one was always a joy to read to them. 

The entire book is a conversation between a bunny and his mother. Seemingly out of the blue, the bunny announces that he is going to run away, and he and the mother take an imaginative journey through all the ways he could run away and all the ways that she could find him. If he becomes a rock on a mountain, she would be a mountain climber. If he becomes a bird, she would be the tree he comes home to. In the end, finding no scenario in which his mother will not provide a loving home for him, he gives up the idea and decides to stay right where he is. There was an opportunity for his mother to counter his outlandish plans with a dose of reality, telling him he can't turn into a rock or a bird or a boat, or arguing that he has everything he needs at home already. But his mother meets his need for creativity and adventure with imagination and love.

Counting the Omer 2025: The People of the Book

Day 1

At our second night seders on Sunday night, we will begin counting the omer, entering the period of time on the Jewish calendar between Passover and Shavuot. These seven weeks are spiritually a time for self-reflection and personal growth, moving ourselves from a narrow mindset toward freer self-expression. The time also marks the journey in the Torah from when Israelites left Egypt to when we reached Mt. Sinai and received the Ten Commandments. Shavuot is the holiday that celebrates our people receiving the Torah from God, the book that makes us the "people of the book." So, as we count up to Shavuot this year, I want to highlight books that help us open up our minds, expand our understanding of ourselves and others, and express the seven sefirot (attributes) of the omer:

1. Chesed (חסד): loving kindness
2. Gevurah (גבורה): strength, power, justice, bravery
3. Tiferet (תפארת): beauty, balance, compassion
4. Netzach (נצח‎): eternity, endurance, victory
5. Hod (הוד): splendor, majesty, glory, humility
6. Yesod (יסוד): foundation, connection
7. Malchut (מלכות): leadership

I'll highlight all genres - children's literature, popular fiction, non-fiction, memoirs, and the occasional graphic novel - and try my best to avoid spoilers. I hope you'll share books that you think fit as we go along.

Looking forward to counting with you this year!