Hear Our Voices
- Rabbi Heather Miller
- Aug 24, 2025
- 3 min read
Newsletter August 25, 2025 Together, we're #keepingitsacred...
Happy Rosh Chodesh— that means Happy New Month! I know, it is August 25, but actually it IS also the first of the month. The first of the Hebrew month of Elul. Which means we are just one month away from the New Jewish Year— Rosh Hashanah!
At Keeping It Sacred, we always start our new month with the exploration and affirmation of justice. We host a monthly Rosh Chodesh Racial Justice book review. And, today, I also began my day with an act of justice— I stood with dozens of other rabbis and cantors in front of the Israeli Consulate for an action called: A Jewish Prayer for Peace, proclaiming the trifold message: Stop starving Gaza, bring the hostages home, and end the war.
My colleague Rabbi Kerry Chaplain shared that we are coming into this space with broken hearts and with real familial ties to the people in the land.
My colleague Rabbi Chaim Seidler-Feller reminded us that the goal is not to secure a victory, the goal is to bring about peace.
My colleague Rabbi Dara Frimmer noted that while Bibi Netanyahu or Donald Trump may not hear our message, that we call out to God to Sh’ma Koleinu, hear our voices.
It was an honor and privilege to organize and participate with so many of my colleagues. And to have one of our dear KITS members present, Diana, who drove from across town was a huge boost. See her video of the opening of the event below.
Our gathering this morning echoed so many other gatherings of rabbis, cantors, and lay people who are lifting up the great spirit of the Torah— the spirit of truth and peace and justice around the country and around the world.
We chose to do this on this date because it is the beginning of this month of Elul. The month of introspection and reckoning. The month of introspection and apologies. The month that many of us woke up to and continued to ask— are we doing enough to end suffering, hate, and war in the world?
I hope that singing together the words of songs and prayers like "Achat Shaalti" (I have one request) and Lo Yisa Goy (Nation shall not lift up sport against other nations) helped elevate the words and hopes expressed.
And if not that, then hopefully the piercing sound of the long Tekiah Gedolah, the longest blast of the shofar was able to reverberate from Los Angeles to the Middle East with cries for justice to emerge.
Because even if we sometimes feel that we are shouting out into the ether, we know that God may still yet hear our cries. And if nothing else, at least we know in our heart of hearts that we were able to stand up for justice and an end to suffering of humans and the planet. And that is our sacred obligation. Especially during this month of Elul.
Crying out for peace is among the ways we are keeping it sacred.
Together, we’re #keepingitsacred…
Rabbi Heather Miller
Founder, Keeping It Sacred
Here's some articles on the event that just came out in the last couple of hours, and we expect more from the LA Times and ABC7 News as well:
Daily Breeze (It needs to be noted that the photos used in this article are NOT representative of the gathering)
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Thanks for your interest, and thanks for #keepingitsacred...
