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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

“May the One who Blessed those Before Us, bless all those suffering from the devastating atrocities and their aftermath, in our midst.”
arms outstretched and holding hands
a journal and pen
“I place colors on flat surface during war – a break / from the news, from the story.”
orange and yellow flowers on a blue backdrop
“Please grant us clarity and wisdom and heal our bodies, minds and hearts, / for we are filled with confusion and suffering.”
a woman looks up to the sky
“Our God and God of our ancestors, help me find relief in sleep, and rise renewed in body and soul.”
a person facing the sun with arms spread wide
“I take it off when I get to the parking lot / and hide my Star of David, / cover my Hebrew tattoo…”
Gold star of david hanging from branch against blue sky
“Engage with those who believe in the blessings of Love and Life…”
a woman stands alone walking into a grassy meadow
“I invited those who won’t speak up for me now…”
a woman sits with her head folded across her arms
“I’m teaching to prepare you. / But for what exactly? / To hide, to fight, to run away or die?”
two long rows of yahrzeit candles some of them lit
“One day, / The court of the captives will convene / before the halls of power…”
clouds acrsos the skyline

The Reconstructionist Network

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The Reconstructionist Network