Tag: peace

Angels lift hearts, we can too

 

A friend of mine used to carry around a change purse in which he had a bunch of small angel pins made of Swarovski crystals.  Whenever he engaged someone new, he concluded by wishing them a blessed day and giving them a crystal angel.  The gift usually caught the recipient off guard but always deeply grateful for the gesture.  The crystal angel brought a smile to the lips of most, a tear to the eyes of some, but everyone would remember that uplifting encounter with their new friend Thom.

All of us are struggling with the emotional and spiritual effects of the pandemic.  Even people predisposed to being kind are finding their well of kindness in need of being replenished.  We all could use Thom to give us an angel to make our hearts smile.  We can do this for each other.

We don’t need to carry around an inventory of pins. Instead, we need to offer a smile and a kind word (or two).  Look at the person in front of you and see them- they are as exhausted as the rest of us.  So offer them what you need yourself, a smile and a kind word.  To the check-out person, smile and say “thank you” (yes- two words). To the person walking into the store, hold the door and say, “you’re welcome” (that will respond to them saying thank you).

It is a respite from the storm, an act of humanity when we desperately need it- and giving it is as comforting as receiving it, for your heart knows you just did a kind thing.

Our tradition tells of angels coming to bless us for Shabbat. So, as we move toward this Shabbat, may we all reach out with kindness to friends and strangers alike and make our world a little better, one smile at a time.

Shabbat Shalom on this Shabbat HaGadol

We celebrate the Great Shabbat, which immediately precedes Pesach.  On this day, our children will march, leading us toward a vision of a better safer America. Let us join them to make this dream a reality.

I offer Debbie Friedman’s A Traveler’s Prayer as the song to usher in Shabbat HaGadol.

Shabbat Shalom

 

Shabbat Shalom

I found this lovely rendition of the song Yonati from Central Synagogue recorded December 17, 2017.

A soulful song, Yonati, My dove is a beautiful way to welcome Shabbat.  The English translation is below.

Shabbat Shalom.

Yonati

O, my dove, in the crevice of the rock,
Concealed by the mountain’s face,
Show me your countenance,
Let me hear your voice;
For your voice is pleasant,
And your countenance charming.

WE gotta start hearing one another

by Yoram Raanan

Ki Tisa is so timely coming in the wake of the Parkland tragedy. The giving of the Law, the singular seminal moment in the Jewish people’s experience, is juxtaposed against the story of the Golden Calf and revolt, the nadir of the Jewish experience.   In the immediate aftermath of Parkland, our conversation has devolved into diatribe and intransigence. Seventeen dead barely buried and already we hear polarizing voices condemning and chastising those who do not share the same viewpoint.

Everyone has an idea about how to approach the problem that we have in America. And everyone has an opinion on what the problem is. And sadly, no one is willing to listen to anyone else, particularly when it comes from “the other side.” Whether you think the idea is good or bad, President Trump’s suggestion to arm trained teachers to carry concealed weapons into the schools should be part of the conversation. But the left would rather attack the idea and vilify the person rather than consider the merits of the argument as part of a broader conversation. The NRA would rather demonize those who do not embrace its views instigating people attending the CPAC conference to entrench against the subversive left instead of becoming part of a national discourse.

We need to create a safer more secure society and work towards solutions that address violence. There is no single fix, there is not even a single problem. The issues are deep and multi-layered. I suggest two things to start:

First, we charge the CDC with doing a deep and full study of gun violence in America. All comprehensive analysis has been thwarted by the Dickey amendment since the CDC’s  last investigation in 1993.   We need to have an intelligent conversation about gun violence and that starts with knowledge.

Second, we need to listen more and talk less. Everyone needs to try to appreciate the position of the other side. You may believe that a gun has absolutely no place in our society at all. There are those who are diametrically opposed to that viewpoint. Both sides have something important to contribute to the national conversation. Until we can stop characterizing the other as “enemy” there is no room for constructive discussion.

Reach out to your congressman and senator to demand the CDC does the important investigative work to provide insight and analysis. Then as a nation, we can move toward finding solutions to the problems we all face. There are solutions to the problem that can make for a better and healthier society. We must find them together.