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For the High Holy Day Season, we are delighted to offer this inspiring 2-part program to our members and guests.

The Ethical Will is an ancient Jewish custom, first mentioned in Genesis, when Jacob gathered his sons to offer them his blessings. They are also referred to as 'Heart Wills', for the inner/heart exploration that is called forth in preparing them. This tradition of conveying values from one generation to the next continued through the Middle Ages, into contemporary times.

• In our first, online session (9/16), we will examine the history, forms and customs of traditional Ethical Wills (Tzava’ot), and prepare to document the personal wisdom and enduring values we have developed over our lifetimes.

• In our second, in-person session (10/7) at the Mishkan Shalom Library, we will create our own Ethical Wills, either for future generations, or to help us explore and affirm our life’s learning, for our own fulfillment. These documents can be in many creative forms – writing, video, picture books, plays, songs – we can let our imaginations soar!

Participants are encouraged to register for each session, and to arrive 10  minutes before the session starts.

Rabbi Tsurah August is chaplain who focuses on spiritual accompaniment - individual and family counseling during illness, crisis, loss and bereavement - and life-cycle events.  She recently launched her program for mourners: TouchStones: Support for the First Year of Mourning. She began her professional career in interdisciplinary arts, followed by a career as a corporate management consultant, before making the transformational shift to becoming a rabbi and chaplain. Before starting her own practice in 2022, Tsurah was the hospice, bereavement and acute care chaplain for 15 years with Jewish Family & Children's Service of Greater Philadelphia. She is a member of the Board of Rabbis of Philadelphia, the National Association of Jewish Chaplains/Neshama, and the International Association of Spiritual Directors.