“The notion of a deliberate reset is an ancient Jewish concept, radical in its time, and still radical today,” says Rabbi Sam Natov. “In a city that never sleeps, movement is often our goal. When we pause, we can gain new insights about the meaning of our lives – we make space for a spiritual awakening.”
“Have you noticed that we are all feeling a little edgy right now?” asks Rabbi Samantha Natov. “We’re tense, prickly and irritable, as if walking with elbows out wherever we go. This is why the Jewish value of community is so important — it connects us in a circle of faith, trust and ultimately: love.”
“The time to speak is now,” says Rabbi Rena Rifkin, in response to the leaked Supreme Court opinion overturning Roe v. Wade. “Jewish tradition allows for — and even sometimes requires — a woman to have an abortion. It is simply an enactment of the value of pikuach nefesh, the obligation to preserve human life.”
“I know it feels impossible: To keep up with every tragedy and important cause. To help as much as we can,” says Rabbi Rena Rifkin. “That is our burden as Jews who have woven the words ‘Never Forget’ into the fabric of our being. Our memory must spur us to act — and to truly act, we must be fueled by memory.”
On the eve of our mission to Poland and the Ukrainian border, Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch spoke about why it’s so important to bear witness and bring immediate material and emotional support. “I hope that those of us who take this journey will return better human beings — and better Jews,” he said.
As part of the Passover Seder, we break the matzah. “There is always one bigger and one smaller side, a jagged edge with messy and crumbling pieces,” say Rabbi Samantha Natov. “Just like life: things can be fine and then, chaos, brokenness, unevenness and uncertainty all at once. The Seder forces us to recognize that, though we were redeemed, our world is still broken.”
