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Posts by Rachel Kravetz

My Mother Died From Breast Cancer, But I Refuse To Live In Fear

By Rachel Kravetz | February 18, 2018 | 0

Cancer is a scary word. Everyone knows of someone who has died of cancer. Cancer conjures up terrifying images of bald heads, scarred chests, IV drips and hospital beds. If you have cancer, your friends and family look at you with total helplessness. If you are a child of someone who has died of cancer,…

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This last year we learned about the fragility of l This last year we learned about the fragility of life. ⠀ ⠀ Which reminded me that Sukkot is the holiday of being vulnerable. ⠀ ⠀ The pitom of the etrog is always at risk of falling off. ⠀ ⠀ The schach may blow away from strong winds. ⠀ ⠀ The cold, rain, or heat depending on your climate affects the comfort in the sukkah. ⠀ ⠀ The leaves of the lulav need to be carefully tended to so they don’t wilt before we are finished with them. ⠀ ⠀ And yet- we balance the fragility of it all because of faith demands it of us. ⠀ ⠀ We open ourselves up to God and trust that he will shelter us. ⠀ ⠀ I pray that this year we receive blessings from our Sukkot. ⠀ ⠀ I pray for a protected and healthy year for us all. ⠀ ⠀ #Thelayersproject #thelayersprojectmagazine #jewishwomen #sukkot #vulnerability #vulnerable #open #fragile #fragility #lulav #etrog #jewishfamilies
Dear Me, ⠀ ⠀ Tomorrow is Yom Kippur and there Dear Me, ⠀ ⠀ Tomorrow is Yom Kippur and there are things that I need to say.⠀ ⠀ First, I want to apologize. ⠀ ⠀ I am sorry for the times when I was too harsh with you; when I said cruel things and made you feel worse. ⠀ ⠀ I am sorry for the opportunities I shut down before they began; because I let my fear get in the way. ⠀ ⠀ I am sorry for the old bad habits that I let linger; because I felt too stuck to let them go. ⠀ ⠀ I am sorry for sometimes not giving you enough time to rest; when I knew you were exhausted. ⠀ ⠀ I am sorry for the boundaries I should have made; the times I should have said no when I said yes. ⠀ ⠀ I am sorry for the moments that I didn’t stick up for you; and the moments I held my tongue when I should have said more. ⠀ ⠀ I am sorry for the times I said too much; I should have kept my thoughts to myself. ⠀ ⠀ And I wanted to thank you--⠀ ⠀ For the kind things that you did say. ⠀ ⠀ For the opportunities that you took. ⠀ ⠀ For the habits you broke.⠀ ⠀ For the rest you got. ⠀ ⠀ For the boundaries you made. ⠀ ⠀ For the advocacy you put forth and the moments you chose to stay wisely silent. ⠀ ⠀ For all the ways you considered what it meant to be living.⠀ ⠀ For the deep breaths and deeper dreams. ⠀ ⠀ For the joy and the patience through the pain. ⠀ ⠀ For being ready to enter a new year- with a clean slate. ⠀ ⠀ So we can live all over again. ⠀ ⠀ With love,⠀ ⠀ Shira ⠀ ⠀ #Thelayersproject #thelayersprojectmagazine #jewishwomen #selflove #selfcompassion #yomkippur #forgive #forgiveness #atonement #kindness #boundaries #selfcare #rest #thanks #gratitude @shiralankinsheps
It is so hard to look at those photos.⠀ ⠀ To r It is so hard to look at those photos.⠀ ⠀ To read the transcripts of those 911 calls and the stories of loss and survival. ⠀ ⠀ Those days are so clear in my mind; the endless news watching, the waiting for my father to call and tell us he was OK. Checking in on neighbors and friends. Stories of miracles. Making sure that everyone had survived when so many did not. ⠀ ⠀ We honor the memory of all who were murdered that day; victims of terrorism and heroes who ran to save them.⠀ ⠀ I know so many who have suffered these last twenty years; from grief, from cancer; from trauma. ⠀ ⠀ From shattered world views. ⠀ ⠀ I can’t believe twenty years have passed. It still feels so raw and painful. ⠀ ⠀ Now I choose to hold on to what we hope we held onto then. ⠀ ⠀ That people inherently good. ⠀ ⠀ That evil can be rooted out from this world by kindness.⠀ ⠀ That love can win out over hatred. ⠀ ⠀ 9/11. A day that we will never forget. ⠀ ⠀ 📸 Joe Sohm/Visions of America/Universal Images Group/Getty Images⠀ ⠀ #thelayersproject #thelayersprojectmagazine #911 #912 #weremember #heros #terrorism #victimsofterror ⠀
Over the last year of the pandemic, I have been on Over the last year of the pandemic, I have been on a quest.⠀ ⠀ I have been on a journey to be kinder to myself. ⠀ ⠀ Yesterday on Rosh Hashana I sat in my garden and reflected back on this year and the new voices that spoke to me in my heart.⠀ ⠀ This new language recognized parts of the liturgy that I had said many times but perhaps never really understood. ⠀ ⠀ In all the reading that I had done over the last few months about the power and opportunity of teshuva, and how to develop and invest in self-compassion, something stuck out to me.⠀ ⠀ I realized that self-compassion is one of the highest levels of true teshuva. ⠀ ⠀ Because in that place we are finally able to free ourselves from the burdens of the past. We can forgive ourselves for the mistakes that we have made, for our inadequacies, for the ways we are lacking. We can let it all go and begin to change.⠀ ⠀ In the prayers we recite over and over we are reminded that God loves us.⠀ ⠀ I wonder if He wants us to love ourselves, too.⠀ ⠀ — Shira ⠀ 📸 @tzipora.il ⠀ #Thelayersproject #thelayersprojectmagazine #jewishwomen #roshhashana #newyear #selfcompassion #selflove #prayer #reflection #teshuva #repentance #kindness
On the eve of Rosh Hashana, we are about to embark On the eve of Rosh Hashana, we are about to embark on a new year. ⠀ ⠀ An opportunity for healing, forgiveness, for new blessings, and the chance to open our lives to new potential.⠀ ⠀ I pray that this year the potential for change only manifests for good.⠀ ⠀ I pray that together as a community we work to invest in having compassion for ourselves. ⠀ ⠀ Let’s forgive the painful moments and be open to blessings we could never have dreamed. ⠀ ⠀ May Hashem reveal potential beyond our wildest imaginations. ⠀ ⠀ May we only experience good health and sweetness all the year through. ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ 🍎 🍯 🍏 🍯 🍎 🍯 🍏 🍯 🍎 ⠀ ⠀ #Thelayersproject #thelayersprojectmagazine #jewishwomen #roshhashana #newyear #shanatova
"A New Year State of Mind: Setting Expectations or "A New Year State of Mind: Setting Expectations or Setting Intentions?"⠀ ⠀ When we dream big, we have hopes and wishes for what's to come. ⠀ ⠀ With a new year on the horizon, join us as we explore the interplay of expectations and intentions in our quest for change and growth-- and how we can make space for joy within the process.⠀ ⠀ Rachel Hercman, LCSW + Ariella Azaraf, LCSW ⠀ ⠀ Tuesday, August 31 @9:30PM EST on Instagram live ⠀ ⠀ #Thelayersproject #thelayersprojectmagazine #jewishwomen #live #newyear #change #growth #change #dreams #stateofmind #expectations #intentions
Excited to invite you to our event ⠀ ⠀ “Brin Excited to invite you to our event ⠀ ⠀ “Bringing Self-Compassion Into The New Year”⠀ ⠀ When we reflect on the last year, how can we retell our stories with compassion? ⠀ ⠀ Join the Layers community for an online event featuring ⠀ ⠀ Shira Lankin Sheps, MSW & Rachel Hercman, LCSW⠀ ⠀ And a panel of women from our new book: ⠀ ⠀ Laura Ben-David ⠀ Dr. Kerry Bar- Cohn ⠀ & Rebecca Gil- Spiewak ⠀ ⠀ August 29, 2021⠀ ⠀ 1 pm EST ⠀ 8 pm Israel time ⠀ ⠀ RSVP to link in bio to save your spot!⠀ ⠀ Email yehuditsingerpr@gmail.com for information. ⠀ ⠀ • • • • • • • • • ⠀ ⠀ What are you reading this holiday season? ⠀ ⠀ Check the links in bio to purchase your copy today! ⠀ ⠀ Use code Layers10 for 10% off your order from @korenpublishers ⠀ ⠀ #Thelayersproject #thelayersprojectmagazine #jewishwomen #highholidays #roshhashana #event #onlineevent #free #layersbook
“…I wasn’t operating in life from love. ⠀ “…I wasn’t operating in life from love. ⠀ ⠀ I consistently and continually acted from a place of terror, trying to ensure my safety and survival by avoiding the primal fear of abandonment. ⠀ ⠀ I looked for external validation and skimmed over my living experience, never really engaging with its content and quality.⠀ ⠀ I unearthed my deeply repressed natural tendency to thrive. ⠀ ⠀ Even in my darkest of days, I knew somewhere deep and untouchable that I chose life even when she didn’t seem to choose me. ⠀ ⠀ My attraction to color, vibrancy, pleasure, and nourishment came to the forefront of my daily experience. I began to run and dance. I began to feel alive and free.⠀ ⠀ I began to hear this quiet yet ever-present voice telling me daily, “Cheryl, I love you unconditionally, always did and always will!”⠀ ⠀ I committed to feeling the fear (we have no defense against our first thought) and living life anyway; life on life’s terms.⠀ ⠀ Still today, I actively work to transform that instinctive fear into glorious love; through daily self-work consisting of meditation, guided imagery, prayer, gratitude lists, surrender and being of sincere service to my fellow human being. ⠀ ⠀ Until recently in my life, self-love sounded so selfish and indulgent. I didn’t know it’s actually essential, a non-negotiable.⠀ ⠀ I discovered that I have the capacity for redemption and resolve. ⠀ ⠀ For checking in and choosing me.⠀ ⠀ For loving myself through life with compassion, clarity, and acts of kindness for all my varied human parts."⠀ ⠀ An excerpt of “Choosing Love” written by @cheryl.nayowitz ⠀ Link to full essay in bio. ⠀ ⠀ #Thelayersproject #thelayersprojectmagazine #jewishwomen #selflove #selfcompassion #postpartumdepression #infantloss #redemption #compassion #love #gratitude #surrender
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