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By Sara Appel-Lennon
 SAN DIEGO--Imagine someone standing behind you gently holding a healing tapestry across your shoulders when you need comfort. This became a reality for many temple members thanks to Arlene Miller. September of this year marked a decade since Miller of Temple Emanu-El created a Mi Shebeirach (healing) tapestry for those in need of comfort and prayers.
The tapestry now includes nine sections with eighteen squares in each section, to symbolize life, with a total of 162 squares. Each square, made of white prima cotton, was designed by temple members to bring healing to ailing members. Those holding the tapestry offered support by gently placing the tapestry across the shoulders of ill members as they all stood on the bima together when the healing prayer was recited during Saturday morning and High Holy Day services.
 The idea of a community- made tapestry originated after Arlene Miller’s daughter, Kimberly, received a wedding invitation from a friend with a request to design an enclosed fabric square to be assembled with the other squares to make a chuppah-wedding canopy. Kimberly Miller liked the idea and asked her mother to make a chuppah for her wedding. Arlene Miller (at left) agreed and mailed each invited guest a fabric square.
While assembling the squares, Arlene Miller looked for a particular square as a focal point for the center. She remembered the story of Kimberly Miller and Ari Novick’s engagement photo.The couple had planned a day at the beach for engagement photos but it rained. The photographer suggested a photo of the couple sharing an umbrella in the rain instead. Thinking of that engagement photo, Arlene Miller decided to make a photo transfer of the couple sharing an umbrella in the rain as the center of the chuppah.
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 Reminiscing about the wedding on June 20th 1999, Arlene Miller said that during the wedding the guests surrounded the couple under the chuppah with all of their good wishes. …” It was really like an umbrella.”. The following proverb was written above the enlarged photo transfer:
“Whenever it rains may you have an umbrella.”
Miller said, “It was palpable. I saw the picture of them under that umbrella in the center and all of the other squares connecting everyone at that wedding….. It felt like this was a very big thing that was happening and I felt that energy and I felt that I needed to take it further. …Wow, wouldn’t this be great if we could use this for healing.”
On the way home from the wedding, Arlene Miller told her husband, Dan Miller that this idea could be used in the community. Dan Miller agreed.
 
Tapestry squares
Three months later Arlene Miller shared her idea at Temple Emanu-El. Dan Miller thought of the term “tapestry” and he built a Lucite case to showcase the wonderful work of art
In May 2001 Arlene Miller was honored as Volunteer of the Year by Temple Emanu-El. Arlene Miller said,“I’ve always connected with my spirituality and Judaism. It has been a core part of me since day one. I’ve always felt very Jewish and very connected to God and this speaks to my soul.”
For more information please call Arlene Miller at (619) 286-0700, or contact her by email: asm0700@yahoo.com
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