This Thanksgiving, let’s be grateful for our many blessings. Celebrate with those you care about, and be thankful for our special time together.
And let’s share our blessings with those less fortunate. Allow them to enjoy it as well.
Wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!
Greeting Shabbat as the evening comes, we sing a series of Psalms as part of Kabbalat Shabbat. Mikolot Mayim Rabim is a verse from Psalm written by the extraordinary Hazzan Jessi Roemer and performed by the also extraordinary Hazzan Harold Messinger.
Be swept up in the beauty of the sound and the images as we wish Shabbat Shalom to all.
I was sitting with someone recently. He is a Muslim and active in the causes of his people. I am a Jew and active in the causes of my people. We are part of a dialogue group that builds bridges and develops relationships with people we usually do not get to know. But we are engaged, and through this process, a friendship has ensued.
The war in the Middle East is deeply painful for us both. We both know people we deeply care about who are direct victims of this war.
My friend recently celebrated the birth of his child. Mom and baby are doing well. He is so excited to be a father. Like most fathers, he wants to provide for his family and nurture his child with love and a bright future filled with opportunities. I recently celebrated the birth of a grandchild. We are overjoyed to have a new addition to our family and cannot wait for the next opportunity to shower our love. But in this beautiful moment was something chilling; it was an epiphany of sorts. How different would this be if we did not all live here.
If the war between our people never ends, what would become of our children? With the birth certificate, effectively, a death warrant would have been issued as well. Whether warriors or innocent victims, they would be the fodder for hostilities between two warring nations; we bring them into a killing machine. Birth should represent hope- the idea that there is a future and tomorrow promises something good. We do not have children so that they may be offered up, sacrificed on an altar of hate.
My friend and I shudder at this, as do many other mothers and fathers here and there. Birth is a miracle, and peace is no less. It is time to find a path forward together.
Recorded in Abu Dhabi, this version of Stand By Me by MusicTravelLove touched me, so I wanted to share it with you.
Praying the hostages come home, Praying for Peace
Shabbat Shalom
We need to pause and take a breath.
Let Shabbat give us time to breathe.
There will be time to organize our thoughts, prepare, and respond to the reality of the elections. There is much to do.
But for now, it is Shabbat. Take the time to breathe.
Shabbat Shalom
Some of you will remember the Youngbloods’ song Get Together.
It is a prayer for ourselves and our world as we welcome Shabbat.
Shabbat Shalom
Our God and God of our ancestors, with hope and humility we approach Election Day, the day on which We the People will choose the individuals who will govern our nation, our states, and our communities.
You have abundantly blessed the United States of America with freedom, security, prosperity, and the right to democratic self-government. You made it possible for the founders of our country to fulfill the command of Your Torah, to “proclaim liberty throughout the land, and unto all the inhabitants thereof.”
Daily we pray to You to restore our leaders as in former times. On this Election Day, help us to remember that in America we are responsible for choosing our own leaders, and that the survival of our democracy, and the well-being of generations of Americans to come, depend upon the care we take in those choices.
Daily we pray to You for knowledge, discernment and wisdom. On this Election Day grant us those blessings in full, so that we may consider our choices with knowledge and vote with discernment and wisdom, with the best interests of our country and our communities in mind.
Daily we pray to You to subdue the arrogant in our time. On Election Day, and every day, help us to subdue the arrogance within ourselves. Open our hearts and minds to consider the opinions of our fellow citizens, as we call upon them to consider ours.
Strengthen our will to fulfill our duties to our country and to one another. To exercise our precious right to vote. And to do all we can to ensure that every legal vote is counted, regardless of the candidate or party for whom it is cast.
May it be Your will that our decisions this Election Day preserve this country as a wellspring of liberty and a beacon of tolerance and democracy for the entire world.
And let us say Amen.
Naomi Shemer is the poet who created Al Kol Eleh, All These Things, a bittersweet and timely song. As Yonina shares her music, let us continue to pray for the hostages to come home and for peace.
As we approach this time of year, a recurring debate arises about allowing our children to partake in Halloween. Some Individuals express concerns that Halloween promotes devil worship. However, Halloween has its roots in a Celtic festival that celebrated the harvest with bonfires to ward off ghosts and evil spirits and mourn the dead. This tradition is not unique to Halloween and is found in various cultures. Black Cats and Witches emerged much later, in the Middle Ages.
It’s a time for children to don their favorite costumes, explore their neighborhoods, gather sweet treats, and revel in the joy of being outdoors. The sheer excitement and happiness on their faces is a sight to behold.
Something is enchanting about bringing the imagination to bear on costumes and needing to go through the ritual of sorting out the candy as loot candies will be eaten, what candies will be discarded, and how much can be consumed less our children get a bellyache. Of course, that says nothing of the sugar high they will get as they gorge themselves on candy bars. It also says nothing for all of the food they consume between the time they end their trick-or-treating and return home to share the spoils.
Amidst all the real horrors and evils in the world, a night of innocent fun for our children seems like a harmless and enjoyable way to spend some time. Instead of dwelling on Halloween’s potential dark origins or superstitions, let’s embrace it as a moment to unleash our imaginations, step out, and have a good time.
Happy Halloween!
