dyspic[1]Debbie Young-Somers was ordained in 2009 and after her first congregational post is now a Rabbi working for the UK Reform Movement as Community Educator where she works with 42 communities furthering their educational output. She is a Paideia Buber Fellow (2002-3)and is always delighted to return to Stockholm. Her first degree was in Comparative Religion.  She has spent many years working and volunteering in Interfaith, and has a passion for Ritual, crafts, Mikveh and living Judaism well! She is married to Gary and is mum to 2 year old Eliana.

 Session 1: How To: Shabbat Candles

Where does the Brachah for Shabbat Candles come from? What does their light mean to us on a dark winter night? Do you wave your hands, or say the blessing after lighting? We will be exploring some of the history and traditions of Shabbat Candles and decorating our own shabbat candle holders – ideal for travelling, or for home!

Session 2: Remembering our Loved ones

Judaism has a powerful set of mourning rituals. We will explore and unpack some of these, before looking at and creating modern twists on ancient customs, from memorial candle vases to soul candles and stone painting.

Session 3: What have women done with Mikveh

The modern use of Mikveh is often misunderstood and misrepresented. We will explore the Biblical origins and what it meant to men and women, before travelling through the Talmud and Responsa and into the modern age to see how women have used and Transformed the use of Niddah (menstrual purity laws) and Mikveh, and how we might reclaim it to make it meaningful to us today.