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

Bring Them Home

“Bring them home. /I will be here Waiting / Ready / For their return, like a tidal wave.”

captive, Israel, violence, war

woman facing the desert sky

Today

“Loved ones and friends, and / strangers– / in a blink, in a flash, forever lost. / This day, today…”

heartbreak, Israel, peace, war

A torn paper heart hanging on a string against a dark background.

Yevava: The Cries of the Mothers

“The cries that carry / from one end of the earth / to the other.”

Israel, shofar, women

tree in the sinai desert

May It Be

“To our friends and family / From the windswept Golan / To the sands of the Arava: / We hold you in our hearts”

healing, Israel, Palestine, peace, war

footsteps in sand

For the Holy Martyrs

“What happened to our prayers, O God? Did You hear them? When? Who? Where?”

God, Israel, peace, war

grassy path at sunset

God, Oh God: A Prayer on the Outbreak of War Simchat Torah 5784

“plant and nurture unusual seeds of courageous outreach, illogical extension of olive branches, and creative solutions based in truth, love, and mutuality, healthy self-interest and sustainability.”

healing, Israel, Palestine, peace, violence, war

a black-skinned had and white-skinned hand hold hands

Counting: Remembering Victims of Hate

“But today, there are not enough words in the Psalm / to cover the number of victims of this hate.”

Israel, mourning, peace, terrorism

clouds in a bright blue sky

For a Vocabulary Other than Violence: An Intention for Safety and Peace in Bereaved Israel

“let us shape the fire of our bruised backs into the peaceful streams of clearing throats…”

generational trauma, Israel, war

sun shining above a stream n the forest

The Story That Could Heal

“All that remains to me / of my family’s life in Ukraine… / are four silver kiddush cups…”

immigration, Russia, tisha b'av, Ukraine, yahrzeit, Yiddish

a lit candle glows against a dark background

Gratitude and Appreciation for Our Beloveds and Allies

A short reading of gratitude for those who support the Jewish people.

antisemitism, interfaith

people holding lit candles at night