In the night sky, the barely visible sliver of moon breaks through the clouds. “This is the light of Rosh Hodesh!” the women chant. “It shines when the moon is dark.”
We move in a slow circle. “We kindle it from our spark” and we look into each other’s eyes, seeking the presence of the Shechina among us. “It links us to our past,” to the stories of the women in our Jewish past all the way back to the time of the Exodus.
“It’s our legacy and our task,” we continue, and we know it’s our job to take the message of monthly renewal and spiritual growth to our daughters and granddaughters, mothers, sisters and friends.
The first commandment given to the Israelites after the crossing of the Red Sea was to mark the new moon, the Rosh Hodesh, and every new moon after that.
Women have long been associated with the moon. Early midrashim about the moon being reflective of the sun’s greater power have been aligned with women’s and men’s roles.
But, according to the Midrash collection, “Pirkei De Rabbi Eliezer,” the specific holiday of Rosh Hodesh was “given” to the women. It is told that when Moses was up on Mount Sinai, and the people were clamoring for a god they could see, Aaron told them to gather all the gold and silver from the men, women and children.
The women refused to give their jewelry as a delay tactic, and although Aaron helped the people fashion the calf-shaped idol, the women were rewarded for their non-participation with the monthly observance of Rosh Hodesh.
The holiday is observed by traditional Jewish women as a day free of manual labor like washing clothes or sewing. In synagogues, Rosh Hodesh is marked with special prayers and Haftarah readings.
But, the really juicy celebrations of the holiday take place in women’s groups throughout the community.
Such groups were born in the late 1970s when feminism and Judaism came crashing into the same room. Jewish women who had been part of consciousness-raising groups looked at the patriarchal organization and history of Judaism, and wondered where they fit in.
Some Jewish women began reclaiming Rosh Hodesh in Boston and Philadelphia, in New York and Jerusalem. It became synonymous with spiritual exploration.
Local groups
Among the many local Rosh Hodesh groups is Bible Babes, a group that started about nine years ago at the Harry & Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center.
Led by Aggie Goldenholz, the group has done art, study, social events and, as a group, they decided to focus more on Torah and women in the Bible. They are working to understand what it was like to be a woman in the time of the Matriarchs and to connect that knowledge to their lives.
Some participants come to learn, to be stronger women. They are seekers on their Jewish path. Currently, 10-15 women belong, and new members would be welcome. For more information, contact Goldenholz, 414-737-1800.
Congregation Sinai boasts two groups — the Rosh Hodesh Havurah, founded in 1986, and Brit Nashim, which began in 1997 with Roslyn Roucher facilitating for one year. The group has since evolved to self-leadership.
Each fall, Brit Nashim holds an open publicized meeting, and then is closed to new members until the next fall. The Rosh Hodesh Havurah at Sinai is a closed group, limited to about 16 women. When new members join, it is a mutual selection process — with a trial visit to see if a new person wants to join us and we all want her to join.
Congregation Emanu-El of Waukesha also runs a Rosh Hodesh group, which now includes 15 women of all ages and backgrounds. The women gather in each other’s homes in Waukesha County to study, connect and learn together. The group has been in existence for a relatively short time, and welcomes new members. Contact Cindy Levy, 262-879-8832, for information about meeting dates and times.
Milwaukee is home to many other groups that span the religious spectrum. Contact local synagogues for more information.
Creating your own
What if you want to create your own Rosh Hodesh group? You must first identify a core group of women. Some groups will start with a synagogue Sisterhood program to introduce Rosh Hodesh, others will just gather a few seekers and begin.
You may find that involving your rabbi, cantor and/or educator will help you identify women who have expressed an interest to them. Diversity of age, experience and Judaic background is a plus.
And then come a string of decisions: Where and when will you meet? Who will lead? What do the women want? How will you create intimacy? Come prepared with a short program and some ritual objects like candles and the intention (kavannah) to create a group feeling.
A good opener is to ask the women to introduce themselves with their Hebrew name, daughter of so-and-so, and then tell one or two things they are good at. Find out who sings, dances, reads Hebrew, studies Kabbalah, etc.
Then plan your next few meetings to serve two functions — to study the month and its holidays and foods and to give women the chance to get to know one another.
One group began with two questions, “Who are you as a woman?” and “Who are you as a Jew?” If Rabbi Larry Kushner is right, that everyone holds puzzle pieces that seem extraneous, but really fit someone else’s puzzle, the many months we devoted to this kind of sharing were exercises in finding lost pieces.
The women who heard those first stories share a bond to this day. Even if they can’t remember specifics, they remember the feelings.
Marge Eiseman is the outreach professional at the JCC’s new outreach initiative, and has been a national presenter about Rosh Hodesh and Jewish women’s spirituality for the past seven years. She is currently studying for a master’s degree in Jewish education.
Loading ...