Communal Tragedy

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

Time (or Children of War)

“The world owed them better. / The world owed them more.”

children, grief, peace, war

A single red poppy growing beside a railway track, surrounded by small rocks and green foliage.

Ana Adonai

“Hoshiah na, / please save me from my hardened heart…”

God, Israel, peace, prayer, war

Red heart carved into a rough, textured tree bark with cracks and some patches of green moss.

אָנוּ קוֹרְאִים Anu Korim

“We are here, / in the Garden, / knocking on Your gates.”

captives, Gaza, God, hostages, Israel, peace, war

A stack of rocks on a desert landscape with distant mountains under a clear blue sky.

The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party: Another Prayer for Israel

“When I pray for peace, help me stay raw…”

God, hostages, Israel, peace, war

A dirt path lined with olive trees and stone walls leads through a scenic landscape under a clear blue sky.

Standing In Light, Surrounded by Love: A Prayer for Recently Released Hostages

For recently released hostages Romi Gonen, Emily Damar,and Doron Steinbrecher

captives, hope, hostages, Israel, love

Mountain landscape with dramatic skies, sunbeams breaking through clouds, and silhouetted pine trees in the foreground.

Release. Return.

“we pray for healing the minds and hearts of those newly released…”

captives, hostages, Israel

A vast, empty field under a bright blue sky filled with scattered fluffy clouds.

A Bridge Unbroken Through Endless Time

“So as we save the scrolls from the fire’s roar, /we save ourselves and so much more.”

torah, wildfires

Open Torah scroll with decorative handles on a table, surrounded by people wearing prayer shawls.

Shabbat Morning, the Day Before the Hostage Release

“There are mystical colors spelling peace…”

captives, hostages, Israel, peace, Shabbat

Dramatic sky with sunbeams breaking through fluffy, dark clouds against a vibrant blue backdrop.

Fire

“We will come together, as we always do, to make fire holy in our lives again.”

candles, loss, Shabbat, wildfires

Close-up of a lit candle with a melting wax drip and soft flame in the background.

Firestorm

“Embers of fire Destroy their path / But carry / shattered vessels of holiness…”

art, prayer, wildfires

Abstract red and black marbled texture with fluid patterns and swirling lines.