Holy Sparks! Who We Are

This is the first half of a brochure which explains

HOLY SPARKS! :: OUR VISION AND VALUES

This part addresses the vision of WHO WE ARE.


HOLY SPARKS! :: OUR VISION

We affirm and strive to reflect the divine and infinite potential in each human being. We call this Reshafim Kedoshim : Holy Sparks!

Holy Sparks! is built on the idea that we live in a transformative moment in time, wherein a new paradigm for spiritual life is being explored. We transcend the limitations of customary synagogues and congregations, expanding our consciousness and fostering interconnections from a broader perspective.

Martin Buber wrote, “When two people relate to each other authentically and humanly, G!d is the electricity that surges between them.” We are those holy sparks!

We gather as an intentional community of “holy sparks,” and together we search for ways to make spirituality real, relevant and alive, and to live a life filled with meaning. Together, we strive to do good and be the change we wish to see in the world, in ways that are rooted in universal Jewish core values and lived within the larger context of our culture.

We see an integral connection between intellectual, emotional, and spiritual development within, called tikkun ha’nefesh, repair of the soul, and expressing it outwardly through acts of tikkun ha’olam, repair of the world. As we repair, restore, renew, and reinvigorate our inner selves, we are enabled to repair, renew, restore, and reinvigorate the world. Spiritual growth is a life-long process which urges us towards acts of kindness. We understand spiritual practices as one way we can awaken to a deeper, more meaningful life.

We are welcoming and experiential, serious and humorous. We are an emergent, grassroots Jewish-core-values-based community of spiritual seekers. We infuse holy sparks of life-enhancing creativity and soul into the nooks and crannies of our daily lives, coming together to again be renewed, refreshed, and re-sparked for the journey. We are spiritual, pluralistic, and socially conscious. Together, we are more than the sum of our parts. Together, we make a difference in our lives and the world. Together, we are Holy Sparks!

We are relational, soulful, and vibrant. Approachable. Casual and relaxed. Focused on the spiritual essence, not the brand, packaging, or labels. We embrace spiritual practices, such as mindfulness, meditation, prayer, singing, and study, with kavannah, intention. We say “la’asok b’divrei Torah,” that is, we engage with the words of Torah, not just read or study them, but to build a relationship with them, to quarrel with and live beyond the letters on the pages. We encourage discussions that are probing, relevant, and questioning.

We are liberal and progressive. Our tent is large, but cozy; embracing diversity while gathering our holy sparks within to harness a collective power to do good in the world. While we may differ in our political philosophies or our ideas about how to change ourselves and the world, we are united in our concern for a free and equal society, and our common human quest to be our best selves and to elevate and transform the world around us. Our community of Holy Sparks! is our response to being called to holiness, to bring a sense of the sacred into our daily lives.

Holy Sparks! :: Together, we learn; we sing; we pray; we eat; we play; we schmooze; we contribute; we mend the world. Come and join your holy spark to our holy sparks.