About Me

My photo
Joy Serves G*d in Joy as a passionate performing percussionist, poet, publisher, photographer, publicist, sound healer, spiritual guide, artist, gardener and Gemini. "Ivdu Et Hashem B'Simcha" -Psalm 100:2 ....... Joy Krauthammer, active in the Jewish Renewal, Feminist, and neo-Chasidic worlds for over three decades, kabbalistically leads Jewish women's life-cycle rituals. ... Workshops, and Bands are available for all Shuls, Sisterhoods, Rosh Chodeshes, Retreats, Concerts, Conferences & Festivals. ... My kavanah/intention is that my creative expressive gifts are inspirational, uplifting and joyous. In gratitude, I love doing mitzvot/good deeds, and connecting people in joy. In the zechut/merit of Reb Shlomo Carlebach, zt'l, I mamash love to help make our universe a smaller world, one REVEALING more spiritual consciousness, connection, compassion, and chesed/lovingkindness; to make visible the Face of the Divine... VIEW MY COMPLETE PROFILE and enjoy all offerings.... For BOOKINGS write: joyofwisdom1 at gmail.com, leave a COMMENT below, or call me. ... "Don't Postpone Joy" bear photo montage by Joy. Click to enlarge. BlesSings, Joy
JOY's POEMS

JOY'S POEMS ... "You G*d are the Compassion, the Strength, the Beauty, the Victory, the Splendor, and the Foundation of everything in Heaven and on Earth." (1 Chronicles 1:29) ... I see Your Face in All Nature that I photograph. ... ... http://joys-poems.blogspot.com/ . . . Click "Older Posts" on lower right of each post page for MORE earlier posted stories and art.

THE WOMEN



THE WOMEN
- Joy Krauthammer


In the noon day sun
four friends fill the new grave 
up to the top 
filling all corners, edges, spaces, depth
so the deceased is not left 
uncovered, alone 
in her exposed plain wood coffin
after family and community 
say Kaddish prayer,
add their shovels of rock-filled 
bone-dry heavy earth
and leave cemetery
for mourners’ Meal of Consolation.

Grieving daughter stays behind.

Female friends don't wait
for the grave-digger workmen 
to come later to do their 'job'.

Friends with daughter
do their final mitzvah / good deed
for her beloved mom, Rose,
of blessed memory 
and with their long-handled steel shovels
give her a blanket of love.

Daughter receives the comfort 
given in chesed / loving-kindness
and knows her beloved mother
Raizel bat Mordechai v’ Baila
is cared for
and her soul can soar
to Shamayim / heaven.

May She be Bound in the Bond of Eternal Life.
May Rose's memory be for a blessing.

-  with love from Joy Krauthammer

Friend, I hold you in my heart.
May The Compassionate One comfort you among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.
Hamakom y'nachem etkhem b'tokh sh'ar avelei Tziyon v'Yerushalayim.

~

Daughter Hare, with Joy, Barbara and Marianne
Levaya / Funeral April 15, 2011
8 Nissan, 5771

~
Photo (c) Nathan
.

TICHEL TYING


Ruthie Fogelman teaches Joy to Tie Tichels
Old City, Jerusalem, October 1997


Ten Years Later ~ Tichel Tying
  dedicated to Ruthie in the Old City

- Joy Krauthammer

  
How your "purple friend," me, laughed with glee
as you taught me to tie and wrap
pretty colorful tichels / scarves
around my uncovered head
and not just wear any old shmatah.
  
So I could be tzniut / modest
because then-- I was a "married woman"
in the Holy Land.

Transformed, I turned into a hip, tichel-tied modest woman
by my friend Ruthie in the Old City.
  
Looking "single" with uncovered head,
and my then dark wavy hair framing my face,
not today's silver locks,
I did not desire
Israeli men's reputed advances.
I would look married!
  
Now I am advised that I have become "single."
I won't use the "w" word
(sounds like a red-belly black spider).
"In transition" sounds good.
  
Studying Torah hours a day,
"married to G*d," is what I safely say
when questioned
about my marital status.
I'm not ready to play.
  
I need to return for another lesson,
"Return to the Land of My Soul,"
as my Rebbes Shlomo and David sang,
both of blessed memory.
But, oh, I am no longer married.
  
I still cover my head in shul,
so will take from you,
my friend, my holy purple-loving soul sister, Ruthie,
another tichel teaching
with multi-layers and creative hippie fringe,
and keep uplifted, to the top of my head,
my kedusha / holiness
as I did when
we first tied tichels
exactly ten years ago.

   ~ ~ ~

THIS MOMENT

    HAIKU

Double Delight
 Joy's garden
© Joy Krauthammer



THIS MOMENT
 - Joy Krauthammer


Love bursting spring bud;
my heart swells to bloom brightly;
in Oneness we are.
.
.