September 17, 2015

The Apologies Exchange

Posted by Custom & Craft

Smiley face
Between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, many Jews engage in a ceremony called Tashlich, which means “casting off”. Participants gather at a large body of water and throw pieces of bread, each representing sins or regrets from the past year, to be carried away with the current. Since 2012, Custom & Craft Founder, Eileen Levinson has shared her own take on this ritual, with a project called The Apologies Exchange. In the weeks before Yom Kippur, The Apologies Exchange sets up temporary booths at public events, in which participants may post & exchange anonymous notes of apology. Here's how it works: Visitors enters the booth to see twenty anonymously written apologies. They are invited to remove one apology of personal resonance and "exchange" it by posting a personal apology of their own. When they leave the booth, they place the anonymous card in a large glass bowl of water. The apology cards, made from rice paper, will slowly dissolve, causing the works to blend and disappear. The Apologies Exchange is available to bring to your own community. Your may purchase a kit of materials to construct your own booths, or order the cards alone to experience a modified ritual at home. For more information write [email protected].