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

At Least This Time There’s a Grave

“A thousand funerals in / one day a shortage of diggers / an excess of graves.”

ancestors, grief, Israel, mourning

headstone with hebrew writing and stones on top

Taking Sides

“I will breathe through tears. / I will swallow pride. / I will bite my tongue. I will offer love…”

A dove spreads its wings

Amazon is Sold Out of Sackcloth

“What about the kids in war, my nieces ask? / They hide, the eldest says.”

Israel, noah, peace

birds fly in a dark sky

Once Upon A Time Last Weekend

“Once upon the time / last weekend, something changed the composition of my body, / my memories, / and the way that I breathe.”

grief, Israel, war

candle in the darkness

Peace

“I find peace in the world /not in running away from it.”

flowers against a blue sky

Jerusalem Still Stands

“Two weeks / have passed / since rockets / split the skies, / and invaders / split our hearts.”

captives, Israel, Jerusalem, war

The Kotel at night

A Prayer for Sheltering Light

tea candles

It’s 3:00 a.m. and I Can’t Sleep

“I pray for a swift end to this unwanted war.”

Gaza, grief, Israel, peace, war

the night sky

We Are All Mourners Now

“We are all mourners now / Needing, wanting, giving comfort / For ourselves…” For each other.”

grief, Israel, mourning

people embrace in tears

Shiva

“We are in mourning; / our people are in mourning; / collectively we are sitting shiva.”

grief, Israel, kaddish, war

a candle and red flowers