Dear Friends,
Like many of us, I am concerned for my elder parent and relatives, unsure what’s left of my stocks, worried if my throat is really sore or just itching, and trying not to lose sanity in the face of a reality none of us have ever been through.
What’s helping? Knowing that we’re all in this together, that we’ve got ways to communicate, and that our ancestors left us tales and tools to help us handle even these most dramatic realities.
Like so many indigenous traditions our Hebrew ancestors came up with bold provisions for what happens when illness takes over, when injustice prevails and when fear threatens to engulf us.
Some of these include rituals and spiritual/medical precautions, some insist on ethics and morality even as resources dwindle, making sure each one of us is taken care of. Some of those include the beauty of Shabbat – to stop, to breathe, to be a part of something bigger, something that holds a blessing for each of us.
We are going to tap into all these tools and more in the next hours and days – starting with online rituals and learning, co-creating the community we need virtually. Let’s do this together – it’s on us. Once we’ve taken care of our immediate body soul and mind needs let’s not forget how many others there will be needing our strength in the next days, weeks, months and more – including refugees and those incarcerated, homeless or detained on the border. It’s a lot, and yes, we’ll help each other. This too is in our hands.
You can start by taking a deep breath, then reading Rabbi Emily’s beautiful reflection and list of suggestions, continue with online candle lighting rituals tonight, family fun tomorrow morning with Shira, theology talk and fearless fire havdalah ritual with me and the ritual team to end Shabbat.
We will continue on Sunday with a midday meditation and teaching, and go from there – seeking more ways to stay connected, here for each other, and here to help.
Remember awe from our high and holy days? Let’s lean into this awe and focus less on the fear. More about THAT coming up too.
For now, dear friends, we wish us all a sabbath of serenity, safety, good care and patience.
With love and trust in us,
Rabbi Amichai & the Lab/Shul Team
