For many of us, when we move into a new home, we affix a mezuzah with a small ceremony. We welcome the creation of a Jewish home.
Yet, when it comes time to move from that home (sometimes after decades of life), we often just lock that door and get in the car and follow the van to our next destination. As part of the our Sacred Aging program, we asked students to think about creating a small ritual that could be observed as you leave that long time residence; the place that may have seen years of life.
Rabbi Michael Howald, who became rabbi at Temple Israel in Randall Manor, Staten Island, NY in July 2010, created this small reading as part of his work for the Sacred Aging program. Feel free to adapt this to your experience.
Today, we close one chapter of our lives and begin another.
Every life of accomplishment contains many such passages
And our tradition marks these transitions with ritual and prayer.
When students complete a book of the Talmud
They often linger and celebrate the fulfillment of their efforts
In a lifetime filled with many chapters and completions.
Like them, we linger and celebrate all we received in this house
As we close one chapter of our lives and begin another.
We remember with gratitude the many blessings
We enjoyed under the shelter of this roof.
In this home, we built a haven from the outside world
Its walls protected us from the elements
Its light drove away the darkness that crouched at night
Its warmth nurtured our love and gave us proof against the cold.
We remember with gratitude these many blessings.
We celebrate with joy the family we built upon this foundation.
Into this home, we poured our dreams and efforts
We shared our love and filled these rooms with youthful laughter
And an argument of two along the way.
We saw our children’s feet slowly gain their footing
As they learned, all too quickly, to call another place their home.
Across these floors we walked and ran and danced in equal measure
We celebrate with joy the family we built upon this foundation.
We honor with affection all those who crossed this threshold with us
From the time we first turned the key in the lock until today
Through these doors we brought our children
And welcomed our friends and family.
With those who crossed this doorway
We celebrated our triumphs and joys and shared our sorrows and fears.
With them, we marked the holidays and the milestones of our lives
They helped make this house our home.
We honor with affection all those who crossed this threshold with us.
Today we close one chapter of our lives and begin another.
May it be your will, Adoni our God, that just as You have helped us
Complete the chapter inscribed in walls, foundation and gates of this home
That You will help us to begin a new chapter in a new home.
When Jacob journeyed from Gilead, the angels of God encountered him.
When he saw them, Jacob said: “This is God’s camp”.
By leaving one home and making another we know we do not leave God.
As we begin a new chapter of our lives,
We pray that our new home will provide us with all the fulfillment
We enjoyed under the shelter of this roof and upon its foundation.
Cain y’hi Ratzon….be this God’s will
(All say)
Baruch ata Adoni Eloheinu
Melech Ha’Olom, Sh’hechyanu, v’kiy’manu
v’higiyanu lazman ha’zeh
Blessed are you, Eternal our God, sovereign of
the universe, for granting us life, for sustaining us, and for bringing us to
this time.
Amen
Thank you so much for this prayer and ritual.
I will be moving my husband to memory care soon and wanted to have a way to help him and me with the transition. This ritual is just what I was hoping to find. I cried as I read it and I will cry again, but I won’t be alone and this will help provide comfort and community. Thank you!