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October

I’m writing this column on the anniversary of 9/11. Also, at this writing, the High Holidays have not yet arrived; yet when you read this they will have passed. A few reflections on both of these events.

Among my tearful hopes after September 11 three years ago, was that our country would welcome with grace and with humility the outpourings of condolence coming from around the world. Another was that we would acknowledge the realization that we now also are vulnerable, and thus at one with so much of the rest of the world which experiences continuous vulnerability – from famine, flood and internal conflict. It was my fondest hope that, together with the other nations of the world, we would resolve to bring peace and safety to our planet, and, not unrelatedly, resolve together to meet the basic human needs of our planet’s population. (The image I hold is one of all of us in a sukkah together, surely vulnerable but also connected with one another.)

Jim Levinson, Sh'liach Tzibur, and Rachel Prabhakar, BAJC President
 

Of course that didn’t happen, and the world is far less secure because of it.

I find it sobering to reflect on the facts that, as horrendous as 9/11 surely was, the number of persons killed in those attacks pales next to the death toll of Darfur Sudan, the death toll of Iraq, and the death toll each day from hunger and malnutrition in the world. Being Jewish means, by definition, that we can not be indifferent to any of these.

On to the Days of Awe. At this writing, busy with preparations as we are, there’s no way to predict what the High Holidays might bring. But here are a few of my hopes:

• That we, collectively, will recognize and fully appreciate our High Holiday organizing team for its enormous efforts this year – all the more intrepid an undertaking because, for the first time in donkey’s years, we haven’t had Faith at the helm. Particular thanks go to Jennifer – what a dear and selfless human being – for taking the lead in this mammoth task.

• That we will warmly welcome the many Jews from near and far who feel enough connection with our people to join with us on these holiest of days.

• That the days will provide us with the cleansing and the sense of new beginnings that emanate from our t’filah and our t’shuvah, and that we will have heard at least one new message of hope from the source and the depth of our being.

B’shalom,

Jim