הֶן־עָם לְבָדָד יִשְׁכֹּן | “A People That Dwells Apart” — a ritual after withdrawing from those who left us alone, by Rabbi Dr. Andrea Zanardo

A ritual and liturgy for Jews who have felt compelled to withdraw from friendships, organisations, or social and religious environments in which antisemitism, hostility towards Israel, or the dismissal of Jewish grief had become tolerated or normalised. It is intended particularly for those who have already established a practical boundary—by leaving, blocking, unfollowing, or ending a relationship—and who need a Jewish ritual through which to acknowledge the resulting grief and affirm their dignity, solidarity, and continued connection to the Jewish people.

Categories:

Hateful Intolerance, Prejudice, and Bigotry

Tags:

2023-2025 Israel–Hamas war, 21st century C.E., 58th century A.M., apotropaic rituals of protection, combating antisemitism, community support, English vernacular prayer, הבדלות havdalot, Mental Health

Contributor(s):

Andrea Zanardo

שֶֽׂרַח בַּת־אָשֵׁר | Seraḥ bat Asher — a havdalah piyyuṭ by Isaac Gantwerk Mayer

In the style of the full Eliyahu haNavi piyyuṭ recited by some communities every Havdalah, a piyyuṭ in honor of Seraḥ bat Asher, retelling the events of her life according to the midrashim. This is not the first time I’ve written a Havdalah piece on Seraḥ, the distaff counterpart to Elijah in the midrash. She also inspired this shorter song. Like the full Eliyahu haNavi piyyuṭ, this is in three-line rhyming stanzas with a repeated refrain. Unlike it, it is in a tashraq reverse alphabetical acrostic, followed by an authorial tag — this time using a matronymic.

Categories:

Motsaei Shabbat

Tags:

21st century C.E., 58th century A.M., Acrostic signature, הבדלות havdalot, פיוטים piyyuṭim, Psychopomp, reverse acrostic, Seraḥ bat Asher, זמירות zemirot

Contributor(s):

Isaac Gantwerk Mayer