I pray. שַׁאֲלוּ שְׁלוֹם יְרוּשָׁלִָם יִשְׁלָיוּ אֹהֲבָיִךְ; יְהִי שָׁלוֹם בְּחֵילֵךְ שַׁלְוָה בְּאַרְמְנוֹתָיִךְ Pray for the well-being of Jerusalem; “May those who love you be at peace. May there be well-being within your ramparts, peace in your citadels.” -Psalm 122:6-7
I pray for a peaceful homeland. I pray for the ability to walk the streets of Jerusalem without sadness, without pain and death. I seek a new peace. A peace where we live side by side with another nation, each living with a sense of pride and autonomy and security. I pray that no one of any religion will have to live in fear.
I weep עַל אֵלֶּה אֲנִי בוֹכִיָּה עֵינִי עֵינִי יֹרְדָה מַּיִם For these things do I weep, My eyes flow with tears -Lamentations 1:16
I weep for a dream not yet realized. I weep for friends and family that have had to spend hours in bomb shelters and commercial freezers to stay safe from the barrage of rockets. I weep for the hope I placed in coexistence. I weep for the divisiveness of our Jewish people and the vitriol spewed internally at ourselves and externally to others.
I am angry. אֱלֹהִים שׁוֹפֵט צַדִּיק וְאֵל זֹעֵם בְּכָל יוֹם God watches for justice and rages every day -Psalm 7:12
I am angry about a corrupt government refusing to care for its people. I am angry about global condemnations of Israel’s right to defend herself. I am angry about the fear of others, the hatred of that which we have internalized as our enemy. I am angry at the perpetuation of cycles of violence.
I mourn. שָׁבַת מְשׂוֹשׂ לִבֵּנוּ נֶהְפַּךְ לְאֵבֶל מְחוֹלֵנוּ: Gone is the joy of our hearts; Our dancing is turned into mourning. -Eicha 5:15
I mourn the sense of safety and stability robbed from all the inhabitants of our holy land. I mourn the homes destroyed, families ruined. And more than anything else, I mourn the precious lives lost. The images of God diminished in this world. I mourn the Jewish Israelis killed and I mourn the Palestinias killed - the suffering spills over. I mourn the murdered children who won’t reshape our future.
I long. לְךָ אָמַר לִבִּי בַּקְּשׁוּ פָנָי אֶת פָּנֶיךָ יְהֹוָה אֲבַקֵּשׁ, אַל תַּסְתֵּר פָּנֶיךָ מִמֶּנִּי In Your behalf my heart says: “Seek My face!” God, I seek Your face. Do not hide Your face from me. -Psalm 27:8-9
I long for a time when we no longer worry. When families are safe and children play in the streets without the fear of rockets or mobs or airstrikes. I long for safety for Jews and Arabs and Palestinians. I long for the streets of our holy land to flow with milk and honey and love. I long for the soul of our nation that needs reimagined healing.
May the one who brings peace in the heavens bring peace to all of us, to all of Israel, and all who dwell on earth.
Shabbat Shalom, Rabbi Sarit
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