Dear Lab/Shul Family,

How are you all holding up out there? In the midst of these terrible days, I’ve been feeling grateful to connect with many of you in our recent gatherings in response to the horrific violence in Israel and Gaza. Being in community with you, now more than ever, is everything. We are here for you and with you.

We continue to gather resources to help unpack and find solace and inspiration, as well as ways to help our family and friends in Israel. You will find our constantly updated collection here at labshul.org/israel-update/. Please check this page regularly as the situation is continuously evolving and we will be updating information here frequently.

We are glad that 140 of you joined us on Monday night on Zoom. Here is a recording of the powerful and inspired gathering, including Q&A and reflections by Rabbi Amichai.

Stay tuned for information on more gatherings coming up, including Grieving Across Brooklyn – A gathering to process and share, this Thursday night at Kane Street Synagogue, co-led by our ritual team and including a circle in Hebrew for Israelis and Hebrew speakers.

We also invite you to join us for this weeks Mourner’s Kaddish phone call on Thursday Oct 12th, from 12pm-12.30pm ET. In light of the current moment, the call will be led by Rabbi Amichai and myself. All are welcome. Click here for more info and the zoom link.

This Friday Oct 13 @7pm ET will be our first of four seasonal Zen Shabbat gatherings with the New York Zen Center, in person and online. This ritual is a very special shared experience of sacred space and time, harmonizing the Jewish Sabbath slowdown with traditional Zazen meditation practice.

This week, in particular, offers a medicinal invitation to sit, guided with much needed breath, sabbath prayers, song and dharma. We will dedicate this ritual to all the ways with which we can bring more peace and healing to the world.

Following the ritual at 8:30pm, Rabbi Amichai and I invite you to stay in the Zendo and online, for a 45 minute heart circle and check in. This will be another opportunity to connect, to support, to hear and to hold each other during this time of tension and tending. Please bring a nourishing treat to share, a sweet for the soul will go a long way.

And one more thing — TONIGHT at 6pm please join Rabbi Amichai and Sam Hipschman along with Aaron Dofrmani, Executive Director of A More Perfect Union: The Jewish Partnership for Democracy for a zoom session to activate our Democracy Task Force ahead of the next election cycle. It’s on us!

Please reach out to us with questions, needs, feedback and let us know how we can be helpful at this difficult time.

With breath, hope, and in solidarity,

Shira Kline