Shalvah

One of the ways the Hebrew word shalvah can be defined is “equanimity.”  Equanimity is being aware of what’s happening, challenges and all, and meeting it with open awareness.  Equanimity is maintaining your center while things are uncertain and unstable.  We cultivate equanimity in meditation by sitting and returning to open awareness of all we are feeling again and again. Likewise, in the practice of chanting,  we return again and again, to the same melody and allow our hearts and minds to quiet and focus.

Chanting is the easiest form of singing, and no experience is required. Whether you want to chant with us in your home, or just want to tune in and listen, we invite you to join Nina Peskin and Rabbi Zeff in our monthly Shalvah chanting for a little shelter from the storm.  We will cultivate equanimity by learning about the meaning of a chant with Rabbi Zeff, doing a brief, guided meditation, and then chanting with Nina Peskin — once a month on  first Thursday afternoons at 2:00 – 2:30 PM. If you miss the live virtual session, our monthly workshops will be recorded and available on our YouTube channel.

• PLEASE NOTE: Links to services and events are not posted here. Rather, daily and weekly schedules with links are emailed to our member listserv. If you are not a GJC member but would like to receive these emails, please contact Program & Membership Director Kate Lawn at program@germantownjewishcentre.org to be added to our list.