Tonight, after sundown, we count the following day of the Omer:

Today is 49 days, which is 7 weeks of the Omer

How to: the blessings and procedure for counting the Omer.

From Our Community:

I have had the immense privilege of working with five different bnot mitzvah this year and they have all given me immense hope for the future, Jewish and general. Here are just a few ways how:

Nora’s careful parsing of Torah and determination to consider the moral implications the stories in Genesis she had to work with. Sodom and Gomorrah isn’t an easy one and Nora wrestled with it!

Maya’s whole-hearted taking on of the responsiblity of Refugee Shabbat and how seriously she related it back to her parasha. She had the choice to say no and she said yes.

Mira’s demand that God do better and her refusal to give God and Moses a pass just because the text sides with them. She was determined to make that judgement herself.

Aurora’s commitment to justice and her dedication to balancing both the practical and the ethical considerations of her parasha. She knows that this world can be a better place and believes it ought to be.

Laila’s boundless curiosity. Each question leads to another and another, and out of good cheer and willingness to learn, not cold skepticism.

These young women have so much to contribute to the Jewish future and to the world’s future. That is what hope can be made out of.
–Rav Amelia


We’re still accepting submission to this year’s Omer Learning project. Share your own story of hope or feeling G-d’s presence here. We look forward to sharing your insights with community!