Our Daily L’Chaim
Do you know what you’re doing at exactly 3PM every weekday? I do!
This past Summer, the Hillel 818 staff took the opportunity to gather together and reflect upon what we would like to see in our building and build our culture for the school year. We took a deep dive, and suggested many ideas, until our Executive Director, Matt Baram, pitched a concept that uplifted us, tickled us, and just felt SO SO RIGHT: Wouldn’t it be wonderful to gather in the lobby every single day to invite anyone who happens to be in the building to share “wins” from their day so far, set a daily Jewish intention, raise a (grapejuice) glass, recite the blessing over wine, and seal it all with a heartfelt ‘L'chaim’?!
We have been running our Daily L’chaim now for a month. The program lasts about 10 minutes, tops. Whilst it can occasionally feel disruptive if we were mid-work-flow, it is always so worth it and refreshing. Taking this short, sacred time out to hear from one another about what good things have happened, be trivial or epic moments, gets us out of our own heads, and connects us in joy. It’s so delightful to learn more about the daily wins of our community members. It’s tangible: this practice creates an attitude of gratitude for all of us and encourages us to notice and celebrate those happy-making moments before they fade away.
The opportunity for a trinket of Jewish learning has also profoundly reframed my mindset on many a day. I might be stressing out about a project, or getting lost in the weeds. But then, 3pm rolls around and teaches me something that gets my brain unstick, reminds me of the big picture and why we are doing this holy work. We are the living embodiment of the famous Pirkei Avot charge: “Who is Wise? One who learns from EVERYONE!”
Anyone who is in our area is invited to join us at 3pm, any day that our building is open. Some days are harder to find things to celebrate, but on those days, I think it’s even MORE important to raise a glass, to be in loving community, and to say: TO LIFE. Because that’s what we are truly acknowledging. That the Jewish people are still here, alive, and helping one another thrive despite so much opposition and hurt. This is what taking the high-road looks like, my friends. The way to build love and peace starts from within. And by example, with healing spirits, spreads.
As the New Year unfolds, I bless us all with life, with daily wins and the opportunity to notice them, and for Jewish wisdom to flow like wine, as our community cheers us on… L’chaim!
-Rabbi Jess Yarkin
