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

“We created this mayhem in the night time / because our hearts were full of fear,” and now we must live in its shadow.
A powerful prayer addressing food insecurity and the SNAP crisis in America.
“What do we do / with these yellow ribbons / tied to the memory / of October 7th?”
“may those returning home / find comfort in the permeance / of rebuilding and reaping”
“Spread over all who dwell in the land Your shelter of peace…”
“…it was a day for joy, for hope, for peace, for gratitude and blessings.”
“Let the day come that we / Drink the wine of celebration…”
“Did you know nesher might have meant vulture? people say that…”
“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.”

The Reconstructionist Network

Serving as central organization of the Reconstructionist movement

Training the next generation of groundbreaking rabbis

Modeling respectful conversations on pressing Jewish issues

Curating original, Jewish rituals, and convening Jewish creatives

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The Reconstructionist Network