SARAH'S TENT: Mourning Savina, z'l.

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and may be copied only with permission from owner Joy Krauthammer, and may not be altered.

http://sarahs-tent.blogspot.com/2012/04/mourning-savina-zl.html

Sarah's Tent celebrates Kallah and holidays.
photos and collages © Joy Krauthammer

Savina sitting in lower center of group shot at Kallah.

Rabbi Judith standing in center surrounded by Chevre.

Where was this?
L>R
standing > Joy, Batya, Gerry, Miriam, Linda, Bob, R. Judith, Judith, Eli, Shayna, Alicia
sitting > Diane, Jane, Savina, Lois, and Teri?

Sarah's Tent celebrates and eats even in the elevators!
Savina, Rabbi Judith, Jane, Fay, Judith.

(and Joy shoots them doing it!)
When was this?

Savina and Aviva Krauthammer creating Chanukiah flames.

Aviva came with mom, Joy, to Chanukah, Pesach Seder at Joan's, and New Year's Eve at Bergers and more.
~

Our Matriarch Savina Teubal with blessings

November 20, 2005

Baruch Dayan HaEmet

Dear Chevre,

For me, mourning for our beloved Matriarch Savina J. Teubal (Sarah bat Rivkah), as she has surrendered her soul to the Divine One, will be more private in my heart and on my e-mail because I will be in Valley Presbyterian Hospital this Tuesday and Wednesday recuperating from double knee surgery. I won't be in our spiritual community to share our love, deep grief, and support for each other in Sarah's Tent. This is sad for me as I will be isolated from the comfort we offer each other. Please keep me in "Her Tent" with all of us. I grieve with all of us.

I am grateful that on Shabbat and as Savina was transitioning last night motsia Shabbat, 18 Mar Cheshvan 5766, in the holiest of time, at l'havdil (which for ten years we have celebrated in SARAH'S TENT) and being embraced by loved ones, that with kavanah, I was sharing blessings, prayers and poetry with Zena and Shira, holding Savina in our hearts. We knew that we were entering Parshat Chayei Sarah and what was the personal meaning of this, the great significance for Savina and for all of us. As with Matriarch Sarah in raising a son, Savina had her last breath knowing deeply that she had with holy dedication succeeded in raising a Tent of daughters and sons, in the blessings and service of Shechinah.

Savina first became my teacher when I was in awe of her in 1986 at a Jewish Spiritual Conference following her return from the Women's Conference in Nairobi. Savina spoke of how she had sat under the trees in discusssion with the women of the world. I continued as Savina's student at the University at Judaism (UJ) when she was teaching on the Matriarchs of the Bible. Later, In 1991 and 1992, we were both teaching with UJ's Timbrels of Miriam women's conference. I was in awe of Savina. You can see Savina's little personalized timbrel (from the Timbrels conference) in her living room, along with all the physical memorabilia of her experiences; all that represented Savina's meaningfully dedicated life and passions. Then thankfully, our Sarah's Tent was birthed and opened.

Last night I shared with my daughter, Aviva, Savina's books, Sarah The Priestess--The First Matriarch of Genesis, and Hagar The Egyptian. Years ago in 1990, Savina had autographed her books to us both, writing, "I see the worn out papers, a bond between women who care, for each other, for the world. ... and may the lineage continue."

You brought alive to me, Ur, Sumeria, Mesopotamia and Sarah. My memories are endless of how we in Sarah's Tent, led by our founders, matriarch Savina and Rabbi Judith HaLevy, experientially studied, witnessed, shared intimately and deeply, bonded, and spiritually grew and transformed in Savina's home for the last decade of Savina's life here. Surrounded by spirit, we read, wrote midrash, read again, sang, danced, created artfully, acted, musically perfomed and embraced each other in friendship, removing masks and revealing our souls. We came closer to Shechina. We clarified our G*d language, renewed our voices, and crossed our boundaries to come closer to truth.

We continue inspired by you, Savina, as we went and go out on our journeys, challenges and struggles, as did our Biblical Ancestors and Savina, to be blessings with greater wisdom, insight, strength, courage, compassion and hope-- to be all that we can be. And now with so many Sarah's Tent members as advanced students in the Academy of Jewish Religion, we have endowed a Chair for Feminist Jewish Scholarship named in your honor, Savina. It was a joy to witness you being honored at our Sarah's Tent Magical Event, as we paid formal tribute to you three months ago, with our First annual Award for Jewish Women of Achievement. As your legacy, as you wrote to us, "...and may the Shekhina enfold us forever in lovingkindness", as all generations continue on our journeys.

"Lechi Lach,... Lech Lecha...." The words to your song, which Debbie Friedman helped write and sings, and we all sing around the world, rings meaningfully in my head. We sang it at my daughter's Bat Mitzvah and at her Bridal Showers. I play it on my drum and hear it wherever I am. (See photo below.)

Savina, YOU ARE A BLESSING, as it is written on your large ribbon, created by one (Laurie Gross) of the many artists in your life whose creativity surrounded us, and hanging high in your expansive room, wide enough to hold all of us who entered The Tent. Windows and doors always open with fresh ocean breeze, view of your fruit trees, avocados, and goddesses. Oh Savina, I loved our Rosh Chodeshes and holidays, as well as classes. All reasons to feast in all worlds expressing ourselves in your safe place in spirit, mind, heart and body / Atzilut, Beriyah, Yetzirah, Asiyah.

I loved Tu B'Shvat (envisioning myself a tree, just like in your garden) and Seder, reddening the wine at your large wooden table filled with teachings, lots of papers and books created for us. We have learned. My fingers feel the grooves in the heavy darkly colored bare wooden door which you made into the low table where we all sit. I see the little lights glowing. I feel your poodle Sheba's poochie body (always reminding me of my own standard poodle, Pierre) brush past me as we sit and study and create. What fun in expansive exploration and discovery I had.

With indescribable joy and exhilaration, I read from Torah scroll for the first time in your home (with Rabbi Judith guiding me), from the Parsha that I wanted to read, and continue to read. We shared Tashlich at the beach; I see you in your white pants with cuff rolled up as you walked barefoot into the water. Later, I shared the photos with you.

You supported me with your presence, as I led teachings and Rosh Chodesh rituals. You have blessed me to go out and teach about your Simchat Chochmah ~ Joy of Wisdom ceremony for embracing 60 years of life. I do this for your legacy. The rishimu of your presence and our togetherness in Sarah's Tent, is everywhere.

I laugh with so many warm memories of visions witnessed in Sarah's Tent of our elegant and dignified majestic Matriarch Savina enjoying herself in whimsical fantasy as "conductor" and also "flamboyant colorful exotic South American bird". We played. My heart warms with the memories of each moment of Savina warmly, graciously and generously hosting Sarah's Tent since our beginning, in our desert, inviting us all into Her Tent for gathering, whether in her garden or living room and of course in the kitchen for feasting, all filled with light, and candles and simchas and separations. I loved Savina with her soft accent, calling me, "Love".

May Savina's neshama soar and have an easy, sweet and high aliyah, ascending and expanding to a very high place awaiting her in Sh'mayim /heaven and G*d's Greatness. May her soul find complete peaceful rest.

May Hashem comfort us all among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.
Hamakom y'nachem etkhem b'tokh sh'ar avelei Tziyon v'Yerushalayim.

"There will be a time when all of us will return to the One Above with all our hearts and all of our tears, and then all the concealment of this world will be shattered. The wrappings will fall away and we will see how each prayer was answered in its time. And we will hold all the blessings of all those millennia, and of all the matriarchs in our souls."

Death is not the end of one's existence or relationship with loved ones, but the portal to a higher, far more spiritual, eternal reality.

May Savina's soul's journeys be peaceful and blessed.

May Savina's soul continue to be surrounded by all that gives her joy.

It is Savina's birthday in Heaven, beshert, on Parshat Chayei Sarah.

Our gifts to Savina now can be the mitzvot we do in her merit / zehut as we continue our journey, Lechi Lach.

In the offering below, G*d is referred to as He. We know who is the Source of All Blessings. Brucha aht Yah. Ruach HaOlam. I share the teaching below as it helps to soothe me in Savina's passing over, and I hope that is helps you while grieving in your heart, whether concealed privately or revealed in Sarah's Tent.

With all my love and blesSings,

Joy Krauthammer

~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~

Savina Teubal, z'l

at her stone's unveiling

AND YOU ARE A BLESSING

18 Mar Cheshvan 5766

November 20, 2005

Savina Teubal and Joy Krauthammer

View the Savina 2005 video created by Shira

that we watched at the Reunion Retreat

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UcHnlmXWKs&feature=youtu.be

SARAH'S TENT

Mourning Savina, z'l.

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