That deep deep breath you probably need right now

Friday November 3rd, 2023 | 19 Heshvan 5784

Dearest readers, 

It has been hard for me to find words to describe the events of this past month. The world we are living in today is scary. It’s painful. It’s unbelievable in many ways, and it might not be going away any time soon. 

My entire life, the conflict in Israel and Palestine had always been an intimidating one. It was way easier to go to the Jewish learning session about Shabbat than the session about the conflict. However, this month has forced me to realize that I can’t stay uneducated forever. Finding the right seat, at the right table, with the right teacher, at the right time, will be important for me personally and professionally, and I am working on creating that space. I’m not telling you this because I think you should have a certain opinion. I’m telling you this because I think it is okay to not fully understand the complexity of this conflict. (It’s complex for a reason!!) I think it’s okay to not know all the answers. (Who does??) I think in many ways, this is individual work, and everyone has their own timeline. If this resonants, the invitation to chat, on your time, is here.

What I really want to share with you in this letter is permission to experience joy. Because maybe, that feeling has been a little tough to come by at this moment in time.

I went to a Bar Mitzvah a couple of weeks ago, and the Rabbi shared a teaching from the Talmud. In this story there is a wedding processional and a funeral processional at a crossroads. The question is, which processional should go first? One may assume the funeral, that’s the right thing to do. When actually, the wedding processional should go first. Why? Because joy should take precedence over death. 

This war is creating so much death. It’s tragic and terrible. However, we as humans need joy to counterbalance this moment in history. We need to experience the good things in life too. We need to know when to turn off the news, take a break from social media, and be present in the lives we are living too.

I went to an event last night for OneTable hosts across Los Angeles. (OneTable is a social dining platform that provides nourishment to Jewish people in their 20s and 30s to host Shabbat dinner). When introducing ourselves, we were asked to share why we host Shabbat dinners. I was blown away by other people’s responses. It was such a powerful reminder that the Jewish ritual of welcoming in rest could represent everything from reconnecting to religion, a catalyst for bringing people together, or a passion for cooking. The act of creating a Shabbat experience, in many ways, is prioritizing the joy we all need right now. That joy looks different for all of us too!

Someone shared last night, “Shabbat is my oxygen.” Let this letter be an invitation to discover your oxygen, the space to breathe a little bit deeper, pause a little bit longer, and discover a moment or two of joy. As we enter into our Friday evenings, I’m thinking of you, your loved ones, and the sacred Shabbat experiences each of you will create.

Shabbat Shalom.

Ethically,

Emily