Dear Friends,

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I have been waiting for days hoping to find some inspiring words to comfort us during this very difficult time only to discover that there are no perfect words or divine thoughts to offer you. Only some heart felt expressions of sadness and grief in response to the horrific events that have befallen our brothers and sisters in Israel during the past few days.

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It is so hard to lose the sense of security we all had prior to these terrible attacks. I liken it to when some chronic or terrible illness befalls us for the first time after many years of “perfect health.” When this happens we become extremely deflated. We go from feeling invulnerable and carrying the absurd notion that we will live forever to a place of despair and hopelessness. My experience as a physician and spiritual leader is that many of those that are ill are all remarkably resilient and are able to climb out of these dark places. Despite the pain they experience from illness many of them come to appreciate the preciousness of every moment of their lives. Many of them also reexamine their priorities and make creating and maintaining loving relationships the central priority of their lives.

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Though this analogy is not perfect, Israel’s sense of security which was needed to allow Israel to thrive has been damaged. We all also share with them the fear of what will happen next. We cannot escape dark times by being paralyzed. If we want to be able to function and move on we need to do the inner work and comfort ourselves and heal our wounds. Fortunately we have some resources we can fall back on to help us through dark times.

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I want to start by suggesting that we be attentive to the emotional impacts of this difficult time. Though it is obviously important to keep track of events, if we remain glued to TV and absorb multiple painful images I really fear the soul damage that we all may experience. There is a difference between being informed and traumatized. With this in mind I urge you to please protect yourselves from the damaging emotional effects of too much media exposure. Now let’s look at some sources of support available to all of us.

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One of our most important sources of support is the social circles we all belong to. With this in mind I suggest you reach out to friends and family. One should never underestimate the power of a human voice and ear to heal the world and raise the spirits of others. God has given us the capacity to love others. I think this is God’s greatest gift to the world. So, call your friends and family and even consider calling others you have lost touch with over the years. If you can renew a human connection and bring your loving kindness to the people in your life this would be one way the world could be gifted during this very dark time. Human kindness heals many wounds. This is a fundamental value in Judaism. One of the ways one can support the State of Israel is by affirming your commitment to Jewish values.

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Our spiritual life is another source of support. Though prayers can be said by individuals in isolation their impact is amplified when our voices join together in loving community. On Saturday October 21st we will meet at our wonderful home in the Unitarian Universalist Church of Studio City at 1030am. Cantor Andy and I are really looking forward to seeing each of you and sharing some beautiful and inspiring prayers and Torah teachings with you. One never knows whether our prayers are heard or have any effect on the world. I choose to believe that they do!

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Having been blessed to be with you over the High Holidays I have come to appreciate your wonderful energy and know that it will fill our Beth Ohr, our house of light with some rays of beautiful light and loving connection! This will not make all of the pain go away or all the grief disappear. It is merely one small step we can take to reaffirm our commitment to each other and to the loving energy of the universe many of us call God.

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One last thought I would like to share with you. I have been given the gift and sacred duty to be your Rabbi. Though we usually meet formally two days a month, I am your rabbi full time. I hope that you all will feel free to reach out to me if you need to.

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Sending blessings,

Rabbi Jason

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