This class will take us on a journey from the seedlings of hidden spring (sap rising at Tu B’Shvat) to the heady promises offered by YHVH to us (in Torah) at the beginning of Parashat Va’era in order to embrace the full moon of Nissan bursting with new possibilities at Pesach. We begin our journey by first settling in, digging deeper into the evening prayers of our tradition and enlisting them in our search to uncover those quiet not-yet-born saplings-becoming. Next, we take a break from the intensity of introspection on Purim to see what laughter harvests. Thirdly, through an exploration of YHVH’s four verbs of promise, we prepare ourselves to be (re)born into freedom once again. The final promise is one of Divine connection: “I will take you to Me as a people, and I will be your God” (Exodus 6: 7). Which is just another way of saying that if we do our work, then God will be right there waiting for us, where God has been all along. And we can take up our timbrels and rejoice in our recognition that “surely, YHVH is present in this place, and I did not know it!” (Genesis 28: 17)

January 28:    The World of Assiyah: Ma’ariv Aravim – Planting Seeds
February 4:    The World of Yetzirah: Ahavat Olam – Opening Hearts
February 11:    The World of Briyah: Sh’ma – Listening for/to Oneness
February 18:    The World of Atzilut: Mi Chamocha/Ufros Aleynu – Experiencing Awe and Seeking Protection
February 25:    A Week of Integration and Silliness ☺ – Purim 
March 4:    First verb of promise: Hotzeiti – I will bring you out 
March 11:    Second verb of promise: Hitzalti – I will deliver you 
March 18:    Third verb of promise: Ga’alti – I will redeem you
March 25:    Fourth verb of promise: Lakachti – I will take you 

Price for the whole series: $85 for Members | $100 for Guests

Price per class: $10 for Members | $12 for Guests

Rabbi Diane Tiferet Lakein holds a B.A. in East Asian Studies and International Politics from Princeton University and an M.A. in Anthropology from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Born in San Francisco, she spent time in Stockholm, Sweden as a child and in Beijing, China as an undergraduate. She moved to Germany in the mid-1990s to conduct ethnographic research on anti-racist responses to rising xenophobia – and discovered her passion for Jewish spirituality and education.

Rabbi Diane Tiferet Lakein received a Masters of Jewish Education from Hebrew College in 2015 and ordination from ALEPH, the Alliance for Jewish Renewal, in 2017. She most recently served as Jewish Educator in Cologne, Germany (2011-2014), Rabbinic Intern for Chawurah Gescher in Freiburg, Germany (2013-2016) and Rabbi of Migwan in Basel, Switzerland (2017-2019). 

Rabbi Diane TIferet Lakein is a member of the General Rabbinical Council of Germany – Allgemeine Rabbinerkonferenz (ARK ) – and of Haver, the Rabbinic Council of Boulder, Colorado. She is also a member in good standing of OHALAH, the Association of Rabbis for Jewish Renewal.

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