Every1Counts 2024
A daily reminder and suggestion of a mitzvah for each day of the Omer, as well as a weekly suggestion of an action step you can take to support Israel and the families of the hostages held by Hamas in Gaza
Begin counting the Omer in the evening on April 23 after the second Seder
and join us at Erev Shavuot services, June 11, 7:30pm at Temple Beth Abraham when we conclude counting the Omer.
For resources and suggestions on how to count the Omer at TBA, click HERE
Week 1 (April 23-April 29): Chesed – Lovingkindness
Tuesday, April 23, Pesach I/Passover Day 1
Today is One Day of the Omer: Lovingkindness and Lovingkindness: Everyone has the capacity to love in their hearts. The question is if and how we actualize and express it.
Reach out to someone with affection.
Wednesday, April 24, Pesach II/Passover Day 2
Today is Two Days of the Omer: Might and Lovingkindness: Healthy love must always include an element of discipline. In my love is there as much emphasis on the one I love and their ability to contain my love as there is on me and my giving?
Help someone on their terms not on yours. Apply yourself to their specific needs even if it takes effort.
Thursday, April 25, Pesach III/Passover Day 3, CH”M (Chol HaMoed/Intermediate Days)
Today is Three Days of the Omer: Beauty and Lovingkindness: True love includes empathy and compassion which makes it a beautiful love. Real love is expressed even when one gets nothing in return; even when the other doesn’t deserve love.
Offer a helping hand to a stranger.
Friday, April 26, Pesach IV/Passover Day 4, CH”M
Today is Four Days of the Omer: Eternity and Lovingkindness: Is my love enduring? Does it withstand challenges and setbacks? How much am I ready to fight for the love I have?
Take on a fight for a loved one.
Saturday, April 27, Pesach V/Passover Day 5, CH”M
Today is Five Days of the Omer: Splendor and Lovingkindness: Do I realize that the ability to love comes from a greater, higher place–from God? And, knowing that, shouldn’t I enter into any love with total humility, recognizing the great privilege of being able to love?
Swallow your pride and reconcile with a loved one you have quarreled with.
Sunday, April 28, Pesach VI/ Passover Day 6, CH”M
Today is Six Days of the Omer: Foundation and Lovingkindness: For love to be eternal it requires bonding. An intimate connection, kinship and attachment, benefiting both parties. This bonding bears fruit; the fruit born out of a healthy union.
Start building something constructive together with a loved one.
Monday, April 29, Pesach VII/Passover Day 7
Today is One Week of the Omer: Majesty and Lovingkindness: Mature love comes with – and brings – personal dignity. Any love that is debilitating and breaks the human spirit is no love at all. For love to be complete it must have the dimension of personal sovereignty.
Highlight an aspect in your love that has bolstered your spirit and enriched your life – and celebrate.
According to the Times of Israel, as of April 21, 2024, 129 hostages are still in captivity in Gaza. For ideas on actions you can take to help bring them home, go to: everyonecounts.live
Week 2 (April 30-May 6) Gevurah — Justice and Discipline (Might)
Tuesday April 30, Pesach VIII/Passover Day 8
Today is One Week and One Day of the Omer: Lovingkindness and Might: Tolerance of people should never be confused with tolerance of their behavior. On the contrary: love for people includes wanting them to be the best they can and therefore helping them be aware of anything less than perfect behavior.
Before you criticize someone today think twice if it is out of care and love.
Wednesday, May 1
Today is One Week and Two Days of the Omer: Might and Might: Is my discipline disciplined or is it excessive? Do I have enough discipline in my life and in my interactions? Am I organized? Is my time used efficiently?
Make a detailed plan for spending your day and at the end of the day see if you’ve lived up to it.
Thursday, May 2
Today is One Week and Three Days of the Omer: Beauty and Might: Not just love but compassion must drive discipline. Love comes from recognizing one’s merits and positive qualities. (Discipline channels and directs those strengths and weeds out the negative.)
Be compassionate to someone you have reproached.
Friday, May 3
Today is One Week and Four Days of the Omer: Eternity and Might: Effective discipline must be enduring and tenacious. Is my discipline consistent or only when forced? Am I perceived as a weak disciplinarian?
Extend the plan you made on day two for a longer period of time, listing short-term and long-term goals and review and update it each day, and see how consistent you are, if you follow through.
Saturday, May 4
Today is One Week and Five Days of the Omer: Splendor and Might: The greatest catastrophes have occurred as a result of people sitting in arrogant judgement of others. Am I arrogant in the name of justice (what I consider just)? Do I ever think that I sit on a higher pedestal and bestow judgement on my subjects below?
Don’t judge anyone unless you are doing so selflessly with no personal bias.
Sunday, May 5/Erev Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day)
Today is One Week and Six Days of the Omer: Foundation and Might: For discipline to be effective it must be coupled with commitment and bonding. Both in disciplining yourself and others there has to be a sense that the discipline is important for developing a stronger bond. Not that I discipline you, but that we are doing it together for our mutual benefit.
Demonstrate to your child or student how your bonding with each other is an essential ingredient in discipline and growth.
Monday, May 6/Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day)
Today is Two Weeks of the Omer: Majesty and Might: Healthy discipline should bolster self-esteem and help elicit the best in a person; cultivating his sovereignty. And that does not compromise the discipline; on the contrary it fosters and enhances it.
When disciplining your child or student, foster his self-respect.
MAKE THIS MINUTE COUNT!
There are still 133 hostages in Gaza including elderly men and women, fathers, young women, disabled, and chronically ill. Go to https://oneminaday.com/ to see how you can help in just one minute a day!
Week 3 (May 7-May 13) Tiferet — Compassion and Truth
Tuesday, May 7
Today is Two Weeks and One Day of the Omer: Lovingkindness and Beauty: Truth is accessed through selflessness: rising above your ego and your predispositions, enables you to realize truth. Ask yourself: Is my compassion tender and loving or does it come across as pity? Does my compassion overflow with love and warmth; is it expressed with enthusiasm, or is it static and lifeless?
When helping someone extend yourself in the fullest way; offer a smile or a loving gesture.
Wednesday, May 8
Today is Two Weeks and Two Days of the Omer: Might and Beauty: Express your compassion in a focused and constructive manner by addressing someone’s specific needs. Discipline in compassion is knowing that being truly compassionate sometimes requires withholding compassion. Because compassion is not an expression of the bestower’s needs but a response to the recipient’s needs.
Express your compassion in a focused and constructive manner by addressing someone’s specific needs
Thursday, May 9
Today is Two Weeks and Three Days of the Omer: Beauty and Beauty: Is my compassion compassionate or self-serving? Is it compassion that comes out of guilt rather than genuine empathy? How does that affect and distort my compassion?
Express your compassion in a new way that goes beyond your previous limitations: express it towards someone to whom you have been callous.
Friday, May 10
Today is Two Weeks and Four Days of the Omer: Eternity and Beauty: Is my compassion enduring and consistent? Is it reliable or whimsical? Does it prevail among other forces in my life? Do I have the capacity to be compassionate even when I’m busy with other activities or only when it’s comfortable for me? In the middle of the busy day take a moment and call someone that needs a compassionate word.
Defend someone who is in need of sympathy even if it’s not a popular position.
Saturday, May 11
Today is Two Weeks and Five Days of the Omer: Splendor and Beauty: Compassion must include humility for it not to be condescending and pretentious. Do I feel superior because I am compassionate? Do I look down at those that need my compassion? Am I humble and thankful to God for giving me the ability to have compassion for others?
Express compassion in an anonymous fashion, not taking any personal credit.
Sunday, May 12/Erev Yom HaZikaron (Israel’s Memorial Day)
Today is Two Weeks and Six Days of the Omer: Foundation and Beauty: For compassion to be fully realized, it needs bonding. It requires creating a channel between giver and receiver. A mutuality that extends beyond the moment of need. A bond that continues to live on.
Ensure that something eternal is built as a result of your compassion.
Monday, May 13/Yom HaZikaron/Erev Yom HaAtzmaut (Israel’s Independence Day)
Today is Three Weeks of the Omer: Majesty and Beauty: For compassion to be complete (and enhance the other six aspects of compassion) it must recognize and appreciate individual sovereignty. It should boost self-esteem and cultivate human dignity. Both your own dignity and the dignity of the one benefiting from your compassion.
Rather than just giving them charity, help them help themselves in a fashion that strengthens their dignity.
#BringThemHomeNow
Add your name to the petition from The Hostages and Missing Families Forum. to release the hostages. The goal is 1,000,000 signatures. Can we count on yours?
Week 4 (May 14-May 20) Netzach — Endurance and Ambition
Tuesday, May 14/Yom HaAtzma’ut (Israel’s Independence Day)
Today is Three Weeks and One Day of the Omer: Lovingkindness and Eternity: For endurance to be effective it needs to be caring and loving. Endurance without love can be counterproductive.
When fighting for something you believe in, pause a moment to ensure that it is accomplished in a loving manner.
Wednesday, May 15
Today is Three Weeks and Two Days of the Omer: Might and Eternity: Endurance must be directed toward productive goals and expressed in a constructive manner. Is my endurance and determination focused to help cultivate good habits and break bad ones? Or is it the other way around?
Break one bad habit today.
Thursday, May 16
Today is Three Weeks and Three Days of the Omer: Beauty and Eternity: Healthy endurance, directed to develop good qualities and modifying bad ones, will always be compassionate. The compassion of endurance reflects a most beautiful quality of endurance: an enduring commitment to help another grow.
Be patient and listen to someone that usually makes you impatient.
Friday, May 17
Today is Three Weeks and Four Days of the Omer: Eternity and Eternity: Examine the endurance aspect of endurance, its expression and intensity. Everyone has willpower and determination. We have the capacity to endure much more than we can imagine, and to prevail under the most trying of circumstances.
Commit yourself to developing a new good habit.
Saturday, May 18
Today is Three Weeks and Five Days of the Omer: Splendor and Eternity: Yielding – which is a result of humility – is an essential element of enduring. Standing fast can sometimes be a formula for destruction. The oak, lacking the ability to bend in the hurricane, is uprooted. The reed, which yields to the wind, survives without a problem. Do I know when to yield, out of strength not fear? Why am I often afraid to yield?
When you awake, acknowledge God for giving you a soul with the extraordinary power and versatility to endure despite trying challenges. This will allow you to draw energy and strength for the entire day.
Sunday, May 19
Today is Three Weeks and Six Days of the Omer: Foundation and Eternity: Bonding is an essential quality of endurance. It expresses your unwavering commitment to the person or experience you are bonding with, a commitment so powerful that you will endure all to preserve it. Endurance without bonding will not endure.
To ensure that your new resolution should endure, bond with it immediately. This can be assured by promptly actualizing your resolution in some constructive deed.
Monday, May 20
Today is Four Weeks of the Omer: Majesty and Eternity: Is my endurance dignified? Does it bring out the best in me? When faced with hardships do I behave like a king or queen, walking proudly with my head up, confident in my God-given strengths, or do I cower and shrivel up in fear?
Fight for a dignified cause.
Shine a light on the impact anti-Semitism has on individuals and communities around the world.
If you have been personally affected by antisemitism, please share your story with The Combat Anti-Semitism Movement so that they may share it with the world. Your voice matters. Do not remain silent.
Week 5 (May 21-May 27) Chesed of Hod — Discipline and Lovingkindness
Tuesday, May 21
Today is Four Weeks and One Day of the Omer: Lovingkindness and Splendor: Humility is the silent partner of endurance. Its strength is in its silence. Its splendor in its repose. Humility leads to yielding, which is an essential element of Humility – and the resulting yielding – should not be confused with weakness and lack of self-esteem.
Before praying with humility and acknowledgment of God, give some charity. It will enhance your prayers.
Wednesday, May 22
Today is Four Weeks and Two Days of the Omer: Might and Splendor: Humility must be disciplined and focused. When should my humility cause me to compromise and when not? In the name of humility do I sometimes remain silent and neutral in the face of wickedness?
Focus in on your reluctance in any given area to see if it originates from a healthy, humble place.
Thursday, May 23
Today is Four Weeks and Three Days of the Omer: Beauty and Splendor: Examine if your humility is compassionate. Does my humility cause me to be self-contained and anti-social or does it express itself in empathy for others? Is my humility balanced and beautiful? Or is it awkward?
Express a humble feeling in an act of compassion.
Friday, May 24
Today is Four Weeks and Four Days of the Omer: Eternity and Splendor: Examine the strength and endurance of your humility. Does my humility withstand challenges? Am I firm in my positions or do I waffle in the name of humility?
Demonstrate the strength of your humility by initiating or actively participating in a good cause.
Saturday, May 25
Today is Four Weeks and Five Days of the Omer: Splendor and Splendor: Everyone has humility and modesty in their hearts, the question is the measure and manner in which one consciously feels it? Am I afraid to be too humble? Do I mask and protect my modesty with aggressive behavior?
Learn to cultivate your humility by interacting with people who are more refined than yourself, evoking in you modesty and humility that motivates you to grow. Be humble just for its own sake.
Sunday, May 26/Lag B’Omer (The thirty-third day of the Omer – a time for joy)
Today is Four Weeks and Six Days of the Omer: Foundation and Splendor: Humility should not be a lonely experience. It ought to result in deep bonding and commitment. There is no stronger bond than one that comes out of humility. Does my humility separate me from others or bring us closer?
Use your humility to build something lasting.Use your humility to build something lasting
Monday, May 27/Memorial Day
Today is Five Weeks of the Omer: Majesty and Splendor: Walking humbly is walking tall. Dignity is the essence of humility and modesty. The splendor of humility is majestic and aristocratic. Humility that suppresses the human spirit and denies individual sovereignty is not humility at all. Does my humility make me feel dignified? Do I feel alive and vibrant?
Teach someone how humility and modesty enhance human dignity.
NOT ON MY CAMPUS
The ADL (Anti-Defamation League)’s Not On My Campus campaign, provides an actionable path toward No Tolerance, and empowers students, parents, alumni and other stakeholders to come together to call for change.
We can’t do this alone. Choose your school and send a strong message to “Keep Our Campus Open and Safe from Hate!”
Week 6 (May 28-June 3) Yesod— Foundation
Tuesday, May 28
Today is Five Weeks and One Day of the Omer: Lovingkindness and Foundation: Without bonding no feeling can be truly realized. Bonding means connecting; not only feeling for another, but being attached. Not just a token commitment, but total devotion. Love is the heart of bonding. You cannot bond without love.
Demonstrate the bond you have with your child or friend through an act of love.
Wednesday, May 29
Today is Five Weeks and Two Days of the Omer: Might and Foundation: Examine the discipline of your bonding. Bonding must be done with discretion and careful consideration with whom and with what you bond. Even the healthiest and closest bonding needs “time out,” a respect for each individual’s space.
Review the discipline in your bonding experiences to see if it needs adjustment.
Thursday, May 30
Today is Five Weeks and Three Days of the Omer: Beauty and Foundation: Bonding needs to be not only loving but also compassionate, feeling your friend’s pain and empathizing with him. Is my bonding conditional? Do I withdraw when I am uncomfortable with my friend’s troubles?
Offer help and support in dealing with an ordeal of someone you have bonded with.
Friday, May 31
Today is Five Weeks and Four Days of the Omer: Eternity and Foundation: An essential component of bonding is its endurance, its ability to withstand challenges and setbacks. Without endurance there is no chance to develop true bonding. Am I totally committed to the one I bond with? How much will I endure and how ready am I to fight to maintain this bond?
Demonstrate the endurance level of your bonding by confronting a challenge that obstructs the bond.
Saturday, June 1
Today is Five Weeks and Five Days of the Omer: Splendor and Foundation: Humility is crucial in healthy bonding. Arrogance divides people. Preoccupation with your own desires and needs separates you from others. Humility allows you to appreciate another person and bond.
When praying, acknowledge God specifically for helping you bond with others.
Sunday, June 2
Today is Five Weeks and Six Days of the Omer: Foundation and Foundation: To cultivate your capacity to bond, even if you have valid reasons to distrust, you must remember that God gave you a Divine soul that is nurturing and loving and you must learn to recognize the voice within, which will allow you to experience other people’s souls and hearts. Then you can slowly lower your defenses when you recognize someone or something you can truly trust.
Begin bonding with a new person or experience you love by committing designated time each day or week to spend together constructively.
Monday, June 3
Today is Six Weeks of the Omer: Majesty and Foundation: Bonding must enhance a person’s sovereignty. It should nurture and strengthen your own dignity and the dignity of the one you bond with. Does my bonding inhibit the expression of my personality and qualities? Does it overwhelm the one I bond with?
Emphasize and highlight the strengths of the one you bond with.
EVERY SECOND COUNTS, EVERY SIGNATURE COUNTS
There are still hostages and bodies of hostages in Gaza. Sign the petition from the Hostage and Missing Families Forum to help bring them home. Over 600,000 people have signed. Let’s get to 1,000,000!
Week 7 (June 4-June 11) Malchut — Sovereignty
Tuesday, June 4
Today is Six Weeks and One Day of the Omer:
Lovingkindness and Majesty: Healthy sovereignty is always kind and loving. An effective leader needs to be warm and considerate. Does my sovereignty make me more loving? Do I exercise my authority and leadership in a caring manner? Do I impose my authority on others?
Do something kind for your subordinates.
Wednesday, June 5
Today is Six Weeks and Two Days of the Omer:
Might and Majesty: Effective leadership is built on authority and discipline. Do I recognize when I am not an authority? Do I exercise authority in unwarranted situations? Am I aware of my limitations as well as my strengths? Do I respect the authority of others? Dignity also needs discipline. A dignified person needs to have a degree of reserve.
Before taking an authoritative position on any given issue, pause and reflect if you have the right and the ability to exercise authority in this situation.
Thursday, June 6
Today is Six Weeks and Three Days of the Omer:
Beauty and Majesty: A good leader is a compassionate one. Is my compassion compromised because of my authority? Do I realize that an integral part of dignity is compassion?
Review an area where you wield authority and see if you can polish it up and increase its effectiveness by curtailing excesses and consolidating forces.
Friday, June 7
Today is Six Weeks and Four Days of the Omer:
Eternity and Majesty: A person’s dignity and a leader’s success is tested by his endurance level. Will and determination reflect the power and majesty of the human spirit. The strength of one’s sovereignty. How determined am I in reaching my goals? How strong is my conviction to fight for a dignified cause?
Act on something that you believe in but have until now been tentative about. Take the leap and just do it!
Saturday, June 8
Today is Six Weeks and Five Days of the Omer:
Splendor and Majesty: Sovereignty is God’s gift to each individual. Hod of Malchut is the humble appreciation of this exceptional gift. Does my sovereignty and independence humble me? Am I an arrogant leader? Do I appreciate the special qualities I was blessed with?
Acknowledge God for creating you with personal dignity.
Sunday, June 9
Today is Six Weeks and Six Days of the Omer:
Foundation and Majesty: Healthy independence should not prevent you from bonding with another person. On the contrary: self-confidence allows you to respect and trust another’s sovereignty and ultimately bond with them. And that bond will strengthen your own sovereignty, rather than sacrifice it.
Actualize your sovereignty by intensifying your bond with a close one.
Monday, June 10
Today is Seven Weeks of the Omer:
Majesty and Majesty: Examine the sovereignty of your sovereignty. Does it come from deep- rooted inner confidence in myself? Or is it just a put-on to mask my insecurities? Does that cause my sovereignty to be excessive? Am I aware of my uniqueness as a person? Of my personal contribution?
Take a moment and concentrate on yourself, on your true inner self, not on your performance and how you project to others; and be at peace with yourself knowing that God created a very special person which is you.
Make your voice count!
Go to www.voicesforhostages.org to add your voice to the plea of Global Jewish Women
