Communal Tragedy

Memorial wall with photos and plaques honoring Yitzhak Rabin at Tel Aviv assassination site.

As individuals, we all know pain and loss. It is the rare person who escapes sorrow. But when one of us hurts, others are there to offer comfort. Communal tragedy is different. When something bad happens to us as a community—whether that is a school, a town, a people, or a country—we struggle to figure out how to tend to our own wounds while taking care of each other. Drawing on compassion, empathy, justice, and love, we can bring out the best in each other, and perhaps, find a theology of hope in the midst of despair.

Latest Rituals

“What do we do / with these yellow ribbons / tied to the memory / of October 7th ?”
Golden wheat field with a few wildflowers, blurred background of hills and blue sky.
“may those returning home / find comfort in the permeance / of rebuilding and reaping”
Two people decorate a sukkah with greenery; a table with food sits inside under a bamboo roof.
“Spread over all who dwell in the land Your shelter of peace…”
A single yellow flower rests on a stone in a sunlit cemetery, with graves blurred in the background.
“…it was a day for joy, for hope, for peace, for gratitude and blessings.”
A red heart shape painted on the cracked, textured surface of a tree trunk with moss patches.
“Let the day come that we / Drink the wine of celebration…”
Close-up of a blue lighter with two flames, blurred city lights and a poster in the background.
Close-up of a glowing spiral light bulb against a dark background
“Did you know nesher might have meant vulture? people say that…”
A large bird of prey with outstretched wings soars above a dark, blurred forest background.
“We pray to see the day when Israelis and Palestinians – Jews and Christians and Muslims – will dwell under their fig trees and grapevines, whether in Tel Aviv, in Ramallah, or in Gaza City, and no one will make them afraid.”
Green figs growing on a tree branch, surrounded by large green leaves in sunlight.
“Be with us in our grief and fear…”
Two people holding hands, offering comfort and support, with a warm, blurred background.
A collaborative prayer grounded in pursuit of freedom, safety, liberation, and justice for all. 
Pile of rocks in a desert landscape with distant mountains under a clear blue sky.

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