Rabbi's Blog

Shalom to the TI Community,

Especially today, it is important to open my thoughts to you with “Shalom.” I wish you, and all those you care about and love, Shalom. I pray that we are all soon able to find peace of body and peace of spirit. The word shalom is from the root of shleimut, wholeness. The attacks of the last few days are evidence of the brokenness of the world. Only when there will be peace for all will there be shelimut, wholeness for all.

Our holiday weekend of Shmini Atzeret and Simchat Torah was shaken by the reports of attacks being carried out by Hamas against southern communities of Israel in addition to air strikes on various areas including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. The entire country and the majority of world Jewry is roiling in pain. It is generally understood that everyone in Israel has some connection, either directly or indirectly to someone who was killed, injured or taken captive. 

I have been informed of the son of a friend who was taken captive and whose whereabouts is unknown. His story is one of many and my connection is similar to many in our community and throughout the Jewish world. It is connections like these that make this war so upsetting and painful. One path for healing of our souls is to find time to be together and share our burdens. 

To this end, I will be holding gatherings with coffee and snacks at TI on Tuesday, October 10, 9:00 am - noon and Thursday, October 12, 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm. We will have time to share our thoughts and feelings about the war and to pray together. Additionally, a community gathering will be held on Tuesday, October 10 at Adas Israel at 7:00 pm. More information about that vigil can be found here. I will be at the vigil and will be leading the Prayer for Israel.

Unfortunately, we know that this is not something that will come to a resolution in a short time. Israel is responding to this awful attack and the response will be awful as well. Especially awful will be the loss of life of Israeli and Palestinian civilians and those who are on the front lines of tending to the killed, captured and wounded.

In the wake of these horrific events, there have been questions about security at TI.  You can read a statement from Hal Cohen, the head of Tifereth Israel’s Security Committee, by clicking here.

Also, in addition to paid security, we rely on our congregants to serve as shomrim, guards. We are always in need of additional shomrim, specifically on Fridays for our regular evening services and for Sunday during Himmelfarb. If you would like to add yourself to our ranks, please contact Chris Zeilinger by clicking here.

I close, as I began, with prayers for Shalom. Each of us pray in our own way and at our own time but our tradition includes many prayers for peace as well. Here is one from Psalm 122:6-9.

שַׁאֲלוּ שְׁלוֹם יְרוּשָׁלָ͏ִם יִשְׁלָיוּ אֹהֲבָיִךְ׃ 
Pray for the well-being of Jerusalem;
May those who love you be at peace. 
יְהִי־שָׁלוֹם בְּחֵילֵךְ שַׁלְוָה בְּאַרְמְנוֹתָיִךְ׃ 
May there be well-being within your ramparts,
peace in your citadels. 
לְמַעַן אַחַי וְרֵעָי אֲדַבְּרָה־נָּא שָׁלוֹם בָּךְ׃ 
For the sake of my kin and friends,
I pray for your well-being; 
לְמַעַן בֵּית־ה' אֱ-לֹהֵינוּ אֲבַקְשָׁה טוֹב לָךְ׃
for the sake of the house of the LORD our God,
I seek your good.

Shalom,
Rabbi Werbow